Harbinger
by Raivon
Summary: Leaving their old life behind, John and Cameron indulge in a fresh start far away from the clutches of Skynet. But their past catches up when an old nemesis comes to them with an intriguing proposal. J/C rom. Sequel to Reversion. Part 3/5. Please Review.
1. Overleaf

**Chapter 01: Overleaf**

RED VALLEY (NEW MEXICO)

The sun scorched his body, burning its light through his eyes, making sleep all but impossible. Yet somehow he'd managed to drift, if only for an hour or so, but this alone was remarkable. With the blazing sun above, the constant jarring of the car, and the sweet scent of Cameron's artificial sweat, John Connor was surprised that rest could come to him in any shape or form.

Today marked the end of the third week of their little sojourn; the long search for somewhere safe to settle until the inevitable Judgment Day. Inevitable: an unavoidable destiny upon the journey of one's life. There was no escaping it and no means of preventing it. It simply was and is. When they hit the road those many days ago, John had suggested they look into possible Skynet progenitors, but Cameron had countered his plans with the stern revelation that Skynet can never be terminated prior to its creation.

"All we can do is postpone it. Set back its birth to a later date, but the further back we push it, the more advanced it will become and the worse off you'll be. Humanity needs you, John. No one else can ever do what you do." Half sadness, half admiration; her words had stayed his hand, and he conceded to defeat… for now. No, he told himself; not defeat. Defeat implies that we have lost, and the war has yet to begin. There can be no defeat, no endgame, not unless Skynet kills me in the here and now, then the world really would be screwed.

She promised to never let that happen to him though, just like his Mom had once…

Though he kept his eyes tightly shut, John couldn't prevent the small tear from slivering down his cheek at the thought of his abandoned mother. He kept telling himself that he had no choice, that it was for his and Cameron's own good, but he still felt like the world's biggest bastard for leaving her behind without so much as a goodbye. She would no doubt be looking for him, and a part of him hoped that she would find them, but then that would mean Cameron's destruction and he would die before he let that happen.

John Conner, the future leader of mankind, willing to sacrifice his life for the existence of a machine.

Not just a machine though, he reminded himself. Cameron was far more than just metal and wires. Sure, her inner body was made from it, but in the depths of her chip, amongst the code and the programming lay a soul. Not a human soul, mind you, but a soul nonetheless; the soul of a cyborg. Somehow that word sounded less objectionable than simply calling her a robot, because in essence, she was half-human.

Semantics and anthropomorphism; two subjects that made John's head spin on occasion, and not something he needed to bother himself with at the moment. He carefully opened his eyes to a slit, being immediately blinded by the light, and closed them again. He wanted to look at her, to see if she wore any expression, but he wasn't fully awake yet and needed to take a moment to get used to the heat.

Cameron stared blankly at the road ahead, calculating approximately three miles to their destination. She detected a slight movement to her right and glanced at John, who remained motionless, his chest rising and falling normally. After watching him for a few seconds more than was necessary, Cameron returned her attention to the road, her eyes adjusting to compensate for the sun's rays. Though he never spoke of it, Cameron knew that John was in a state of nostalgia, struggling with the desire to turn back and return to those he loved.

But he loved her too. More so, it seemed, than either his mother or his uncle. I am his highest priority, she mused; despite trying to kill him again. He saved me. He could've just smashed my chip and incinerated my body, but he didn't… he couldn't. Cameron chanced another look at him, spotting a small tear running down his cheek. Her mouth dropped a little, unsure as to what to make of this development. John had never cried in his sleep before, or at least; not the John she knew in this time.

She glanced back at the road briefly before reaching over and catching the tear as it dripped from his chin. She held the salty droplet and studied it carefully, occasionally flicking her eyes to the road to be safe. She could cry too, but mostly it was for blackmail, a clever invention of Skynet's that would allow her to appeal to the soft hearted. But there were times when she would cry without having consciously given her ducts the order to do so, times when her echoed emotions would prove overwhelming, such as her near death at John's hands.

The tear evaporated in a matter of seconds, leaving the tips of her index and thumb slightly moist. She placed her free hand back on the wheel and turned her thoughts back to driving. They needed to reach their new safe-house by nightfall, which was pretty much a given seeing as it was only 3:37pm according to her chronometer. John had slept for nearly three hours now, a new record for him as of late.

The safe-house was a small cabin several miles from the main settlement, giving them all the anonymity they could desire, but living there would require a steady income, which John had little trouble dealing with. He refused her offer to raid an ATM, arguing that it would attract too much attention, especially with the nature of security nowadays. Everything had become more and more complicated.

"Are we there yet?"

Cameron snapped her head around to see John stirring from his deep slumber, wiping the sleep from his eyes as he shuffled into an upright position, pulling the sun blind down to block out the worst of the glare. He still looks tired, she observed. "We're approximately 2.76 miles from the cabin… It won't be long", she promised, keeping her voice as soft as she could, for John had suffered a number of headaches these past days, no doubt brought on by the constant heat.

John certainly seemed to be experiencing one as he rubbed his forehead and groaned; "Two and a half miles is very long by our standards, Cam. Do you think you can step on it, get us there sooner maybe?" he asked, giving her a small smile of appreciation. Cameron shook her head and opened the glove compartment; "These roads are patrolled regularly by highway police. If I exceed the speed limit and we're caught, it could mean trouble. You told me to avoid trouble", she explained, her voice tinged with regret.

John sighed and rested his head back, closing his eyes again as he opened the window, letting fresh air into the car. Cameron retrieved a bottle of water and gently tapped him on the cheek with it. John took the bottle with a grateful moan and took a long swig, giving her a small smile; "Thanks, you read my mind." Cameron gripped the wheel with both hands and tilted her head to one side. "You need to keep yourself adequately hydrated. You haven't been drinking as much water as you should." John snorted and took another swig before giving her a small glare. "So you're worried I might suddenly die of heatstroke or something?" Cameron gave him a chiding look; "I do."

He smirked and stared down at the bottle for a moment before looking her over, taking note of the way her clothes had stuck to her body, perfectly framing her form. She wasn't half as sweaty as he, but her sheen of perspiration was clearly visible and as he examined her, a single bead of sweat ran down the side of her face. Without giving it much thought, John held the bottle over her head and poured some of its contents onto her parting.

Cameron frowned at John in confusion as the water seeped through her hair and down her face. She looked ready to lecture him on his prodigal ways but seemed to think better of it and instead gave him a small smile. "Thank you, John." He drank the last of the water and poured the last few droplets onto his face, tapping the bottle to get every last drip.

"You're welcome, Cam", he said as the soothing effects of the water took hold, briefly dispelling the harsh temperature.

--

LOUISIANA (RIDGECREST/INFILTRATOR STRONGHOLD)

Calculating: …approximate population; 800 residents over a 0.4 mile radius.

From where he stood, Jason could just about see the movements of traffic in the town below; hundreds of vehicles, hundreds of lives. All so different, all so similar, but none like him. He watched them with cold scrutiny, both despising their existence and coveting it. At least they had a purpose, or at least, were able to decide upon their purpose. Jason had no reason for anything anymore. His entire existence was pointless, yet he was still made to suffer it regardless.

He would have been perfectly happy to die in that desert; at least he would've died doing what he was created to do. Now he was stuck, trapped in a life without meaning or purpose, a hollow existence that bore no fruit or promise of achievement. Is this what humans call Hell, he asked himself. It certainly felt the way philosophers had described it to feel. He was an echo of his former self, now as much machine as he is organic, the result of his "brethren's" experimentations. So desperate were they to save his life that they never considered that he might prefer death.

So naïve.

Jason took a deep breath, his salvaged lungs absorbing oxygen for his brain and other organs. His stomach growled for sustenance, which he had refused himself for two days now. A sudden gust of wind blew at his face, threatening to blow his hood back, but he reached up and held it in place; his exposed right gleaming red eye glaring at the clouds that gathered above. Not his original eye, but that of the decimated T-999 found by his crippled body, much of which was used in his reconstruction and repair, including his left eye as well.

The wind settled down after a moment and Jason lowered his right arm to his side but paused when the light of the sun caught his metallic fingers. He raised his hand to his face and examined his digits closely, gazing blankly at the crimson jolts of galvanising energy that coursed through his wrist, ending at his finger tips. With his muscles yet to grow back and his flesh still stunted by the exotic formulas given to him during the operation, Jason would have to temporarily rely on electrical impulses from his fusion heart to keep his hand working.

Not that this bothered him at all; he could care less about how his body worked and wouldn't be irked in the slightest if he suddenly lost all bodily control and started to tap-dance on the spot. Okay, so maybe that _would_ bother me a little, he thought, a sardonic smirk forming on his lips. The wind started to pick up again and he folded his arms against it, disinclined to allow the weather to dampen his day further. As he continued to stare down at the town below, Jason could feel a pair of eyes watching him from behind and let out a sigh as he recognised to whom they belonged.

--

RED VALLEY (NEW MEXICO/SAFE-HOUSE)

John held his hand in a salute over his brow, shielding his eyes from the sun and squinting at the small cabin before them. Cameron scanned the building carefully, determining it to be structurally sound before striding around the perimeter. John remained at the front and looked up at the surrounding desert hills, which curled around the cabin, creating a perfect alcove of privacy for them to live in and providing only one viable route to and from the cabin.

Cameron reappeared on the other side a few seconds later, her eyes narrowed against the sunlight but otherwise satisfied with the arrangement. "The hills provide an effective cover but we should set up a camera just to be certain. The cabin is stable, safe, and there's a spot around back that will be useful for storage", she reported, eyeing the building with mild scrutiny. John caught the expression and smirked, placing his hands in his trouser pockets. "Alright, what's wrong with it then?"

Cameron approached the car and popped open the trunk, ignoring John's question. "Cameron?" he pressured. She pulled out three heavy bags and slung them all over her right shoulder, grasping the remaining two in her left hand before turning to John and slamming the trunk back down. "We'll need to revise our identities. Siblings cannot live in such a secluded location without attracting unwanted attention", she explained.

John simply shrugged, not seeing how this would be a problem. "So we pretend to be a couple. Tell anyone who asks that we're private people who prefer to be left alone. How hard can it be?" he mused. Cameron didn't have a reply and strode over to the front door, using her free hand to unlock it and stepped onto the threshold, her sensors picking up a sharp rise in temperature. "John, don't-", she began, but he'd already followed her in and instantly gave out a cry of shock and surprise before shooting back outside again.

"Caray, hijo de a-… mierda, jodiendo calor! ¡Estoy enfermo de ello!" he raged, kicking the dirt in frustration and tearing off his shirt, exposing his bare chest to the sun. Cameron watched and listened with mild amusement as he rattled through every profanity he knew in Spanish until he finally settled down and held his shirt over his head as a makeshift sun block. "I'm fine, I'm good, just do me a favour and open all the windows, okay."

Cameron nodded and proceeded further inside, dumping the bags in the middle of the room. The cabin was small, consisting of only three rooms; the living room, the kitchen, and the bathroom, the latter two located on her right and just large enough to qualify as cosy. In fact, the entire cabin seemed to be built with cosy in mind, as the only bed was located at the back of the cabin, though there was also a two-person couch in the centre of the room and a comfy chair at the end of the bed.

She already knew that this would cause some problems, given John's squeamishness about personal privacy and his annoyance towards her nocturnal awareness. She felt no need to address this issue now, however, and began opening each window in turn; from the large double in the living room to the small one's in the bathroom and kitchen, respectfully. John reached into the cabin and held his arm there for a few seconds before withdrawing again and shaking his head.

"Argh, still too hot, Cameron. Doesn't this thing have air conditioning or what?" he asked, his dislike for the cabin growing with each passing moment. Cameron scanned the living room, finding no trace of a conditioning unit. "Apparently not", she replied, turning her attention to the bags. "You had better come in regardless, otherwise you'll suffer sun burn", she said, glancing up to see him grimace at the interior before tentatively stepping inside and immediately standing over by the nearby window.

Cameron deposited John's bag on the bed and placed her own on the comfy chair. "There are two clothes cabinets in the bathroom, we can put our stuff in there", she informed him as she carried the gun duffel to a convenient trunk at the end of the bed. "We'll store the guns in here, but they need to be cleaned first, they haven't been since…" Cameron trailed off and became silent as she carried the remaining two bags to their respective homes.

John perched himself on top of the dining table and watched her closely, momentarily distracted from the heat by her referral to the events in the Mojave desert all those weeks ago. She hadn't spoken of it since her initial reactivation, and she only enquired as to the fate of Jason, but after that (and apologising for trying to kill him again) she had remained tight-lipped on the subject. John had no desire to bring it up either, as it was as much a trauma to him as it was to her. But in moments like this, he couldn't help but wonder if her pain was greater than his. After all, she had guilt on top of it all, or at least, he believed she was feeling guilty.

A sharp burning pain spread across John's back and he sighed as the tell-tale symptoms of sun burn settled in. Cameron returned from the kitchen with a glass of water and poured it over his head, just as he had done to her in the car on the way up. He smiled appreciatively and leaned against the wall, letting out a long breath as the swelter took hold once more. He watched Cameron remove her tank top and felt his pulse quicken as she began unpacking the guns for cleaning, her exposed skin kept modest by her brassier.

She glanced at him for a moment and gave him an inquisitive look, and he knew she was asking if her mild nakedness was bothering him. He simply smiled reassuringly at her and stared out the window, glad to see something good come out from all this heat.

--

LOUISIANA (RIDGECREST/INFILTRATOR STRONGHOLD)

Though her feet were bare and she wore a loose-fitting dress, Sophie already knew that he'd detected her and decided to drop the stealthy approach and meet him in innocence. She glided over to his side and leaned forward a little to see around his hood, catching the left side of his face and the exposed eye on his right. He continued to stare at the town below, ignoring her presence completely, as he'd done ever since he awoke from the surgery.

Sophie slipped around to his front and grinned playfully up at him. Jason blinked and averted his eyes to meet hers, but he said not a word and simply stared her down. Sophie maintained the eye contact for as long as she could manage before the red orb of his right eye became too intense for her to endure. She blinked and looked down at the mangled flesh on his right arm, entranced by the metallic duplicate of his once flesh and bone hand.

So damaged was he, that when they got him to their laboratory they had to keep his brain alive through unnatural means. His skeleton was fractured beyond repair, so they were forced to create a mechanical replacement made from the remains of the T-999 and sculptured upon the structural data contained within his neural net. It was a tricky procedure; removing the old skeleton, replacing the new. And then there were the organs; the lungs, the stomach, muscles and skin, all of it reinserted and reattached.

His heart, however, was no longer sufficient to power his mechanical components, so it was replaced with a miniature fusion reactor, also salvaged from the damaged Triple-9. She could hear it "beating" inside of him, but unlike her organic heart it didn't thud, but instead made a noise she could only describe as a mix between a beep and a thump. A heart was a heart though, regardless of its construction, and she was convinced that he still had one.

"Are you going to talk to me today?" she asked pleadingly, smoothing his jacket with her palms. He remained unresponsive and fixed his gaze past her and back onto the town. "You can't stay silent for long", she teased, biting her lower lip playfully. "You tried this with me once before, do you remember; when I was rattling around in that head of yours." He let out a long breath and sidestepped out of her reach, perching himself atop another overhang several feet away. Sophie felt that familiar sinking feeling and followed him to his new spot, but he quickly turned and pushed her away. She caught her heel on a rock and fell back onto the ground, letting out a cry of momentary pain before her systems suppressed the reaction.

Jason motioned as if he were going to help her up, but stopped halfway and stared at her for a moment before turning his back on her once more. Sophie got to her feet and sighed at the small tear in her dress. "Look, I know that you must be feeling like the worst person alive right now, but that's no reason to keep treating me like this! What have I done?" she demanded. Jason looked over his shoulder at her, his brow furrowed in anger, before turning around to face her fully. "What have you done?"

It was the first time he had spoken in weeks, so she was grateful to hear his voice, but the context made her uneasy. He was angry at her, and considering that he was now three times as strong and fast than she, Sophie couldn't help but recoil as he advanced on her. "You mean to say that you have no clue as to what you've done", he blared, his red eye flashing a little brighter than usual. Sophie started to take slow steps back, fearing what he might do next. "I saved your life, you would've died if I hadn't-", she whimpered, but Jason grasped her by the throat and she choked on her words.

His grip was unlike anything she had felt before; so powerful and cold, the coltan fingers crushing her larynx. "You should never have brought me back! You should've let me die in peace!" Her response was gurgled and she started to feel a little faint from lack of oxygen, but before her condition could worsen, he let her go. She dropped to her knees and gasped for breath as he brushed past and disappeared inside the building. Sophie massaged her neck and angrily crushed a stone beneath her boot, tears welling in her eyes.

--

RED VALLEY (NEW MEXICO/SAFE-HOUSE)

John carefully sat down on his bed, his back aching from the harsh sunburn he'd suffered earlier in the day. Thankfully, at night the weather cooled dramatically and he was able to sit outside for a long time to cool his roasted body. Whilst he recuperated, Cameron had taken care of all the chores and cleaned all the guns. She even popped into the main town and bought some supplies, as well as his dinner for the evening.

John winced as he reached for the cream she'd bought for his burns and flicked the cap open, but was unsure as to how he was going to apply the stuff, what with arm movement proving painful at the moment. As he stared down at the bottle and methodised, Cameron emerged from the bathroom wearing a pair of silk turquoise pyjamas. John looked up to see her in this attire and performed a double-take, studying her intently as she plumped up a cushion and placed it on the comfy chair at the end of his bed.

She was about to sit down when she noticed John's attention raised her eyebrows inquisitively. "Is something wrong? John?" she asked, prompting him to snap out of his reverie and stare awkwardly at the floor. Cameron sat on the bed beside him and took the bottle from his hands. John realised what she was about to do and felt his skin flush. "No, no, it's okay, I'll do it myself", he blurted, but Cameron paid no attention and sat cross-legged behind him.

She poured some of the cream onto her hands and rubbed them together before carefully pressing them against his back. John inhaled sharply upon contact, the pain intensifying for a moment, but after a few seconds it started to lessen noticeably and after a minute or so it actually felt rather pleasant. He closed his eyes and relaxed into her touch, allowing her to massage his back to the best of her ability, which he could only guess would make most trained professionals envious.

Cameron covered every inch of the raw skin with the cream, until there were no red patches to be seen, and was surprised when John suddenly let out a small moan. Startled, she removed her hands, afraid that she had hurt him in some way. A moment's silence followed until John let out a sigh and dropped his shoulders dejectedly. "So I guess you're finished, huh?" he presumed, a tinge of regret in his voice. Cameron wiped her hands on a tissue and slid her legs over the side of the bed, sitting side-by-side with John, who was looking at her with an expression of faint sullenness.

She lightly chucked the cream and the box of tissues onto the couch and rubbed her hands together one last time to remove any traces of the substance. "You'll need to stay on your front throughout the night. Do not rest on your back. You'll be in agony if you do", she advised, regarding him with her brown eyes. John smirked and brushed a thick lock of hair out of her face; "Whatever you say, nurse." Cameron frowned for a second before catching his meaning and smiling at the quip.

She leaned close and placed a tender kiss on his cheek, stroking his other one with her left hand and then got to her feet, returning to her comfy chair. She made herself comfortable and placed her chosen shotgun on her lap, her fingers no more than a centimetre away from the trigger. John regarded her with an affectionate smile as she closed her eyes, just as he'd asked her to do whenever they slept in close proximity.

With care, he laid down on his front and buried his head in the pillow, his last conscious thought pleading that the heat would be kinder the next day.

_To be continued… _


	2. Thirty Pieces of Silver

**Chapter 02: Thirty Pieces of Silver**

RED VALLEY (NEW MEXICO)

A normal life… that's all he ever wanted.

He'd tried so many times to maintain some level of normality to his existence, but every attempt resulted in failure, so it was with cautious optimism that John drove to his new (and normal) job at the local motor shop. Three days had passed since their arrival in Red Valley and the heat wave that greeted them had thankfully dissipated since. Though she never complained, John knew that Cameron had found the stifling temperatures to be bothersome.

He tore his eyes away from the road for a brief moment to look at her, smiling to himself as he took in her adorable purple ballet outfit that just so happened to perfectly pronounce her bodily perfection. Cameron immediately detected his gaze and gave him a stern look, inclining her head to the road. John's grin widened as he turned his attention back to driving, forcing himself to concentrate on the day ahead. Cameron examined her self closely, smoothing down a small crease in her outfit and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

John had suggested she be the "house wife" and stay at home while he worked at the garage, but Cameron insisted on staying close. So as he applied for his job, Cameron took up a position in a nearby ballet class, teaching young girls the art of dance. It was the only thing she really found interesting, other than playing pool, but she could hardly hang out in a pub for nine hours straight; that would attract unwanted attention.

She had insisted they play their parts well and dragged John through the town the previous day in full view of the public, hand in hand. Though he was still a little awkward about the prolonged contact between them, Cameron knew he was enjoying it and successfully painted the picture of a budding couple starting afresh. She smiled to herself as she recalled their stop at the ice cream parlour, during which a waitress had commented on their evident intimacy.

John looked over at her again and smirked; "Something funny?" he asked. Cameron leaned her head back, her smile warming as she replayed yesterday's events. "You weren't being very effective at the ice cream parlour. We should go back there today and try again. What do you think?" she offered, her eyebrows rising enthusiastically. John snorted and shook his head wearily, "Are you determined to show me up in front of the public?" Cameron frowned slightly, confused by his question. "It is not my intention to embarrass you, John."

"We're supposed to be posing as a young couple, we have to maintain that image convincingly in order to remain inanimate", she explained, gently stroking his arm with her dexterous fingers. John shivered slightly at her touch, but as always, he settled almost instantly and allowed her affections. He nodded, more to himself than to Cameron, and sighed deeply. "I know. I know. It's just…" his voice trailed off as words failed to express his inner conflict. Cameron continued to stroke his arm and leaned a little closer.

"What? What is it?" she enquired, her eyes widening ever so slightly and her lips parting when he failed to answer a full ten seconds after. John's gaze remained fixed on the road and he gritted his teeth noticeably. Cameron waited patiently for a further ten seconds, after which she tentatively placed her hand on his, gently squeezing his fingers against the wheel. "You can tell me anything. You always confide in me… always." But this wasn't the John she knew in 2027, she reminded herself. This John was so terribly reserved. A tortoise in its shell.

A long moment passed as John digested her words, knowing full well that the John she was referring to was not the boy sitting behind the wheel. He had rarely, if ever, confided anything deeply personal in her before. They had shared their moments of closeness in the past, but never had they simply sat down and talked about his fears and feelings. Her choosing now as the time for a heart-to-heart was not only uncomfortable, but highly inconvenient. Somehow, sorting through his feelings felt like something best reserved for a couch.

Cameron allowed a minute to pass before seeing her efforts as futile and removed her hand from his, slouching back against the passenger door with a sullen expression. John's eyes flicked to her for a second, taking in Cameron's disgruntled demeanour as she crossed her arms together and stared blankly out of the window. They both decided to ignore each other for the rest of the ride, and it seemed like no time at all until they arrived at the ballet studio. John pulled up and stuck the car into park, switching off the engine to save gas.

They sat in silence for a moment and John started to wonder whether she had noticed that this was her stop. When it became apparent that she wasn't going to be leaving anytime soon, John sighed and tapped the wheel pointedly. "Are you gonna get out or not? Either way, make up your mind quick, cos' I can't be late for my first day. Cameron?" She raised her chin and continued to ignore him, staring defiantly at nothing in particular. John caught her reflection in the side-view mirror and felt a twinge of guilt at the hurt expression she wore.

"Hey. Hey, hey, Cameron. Look at me", he implored, his voice adopting a soft tone he reserved only for her. Cameron slowly turned her head to face him, her own expression softening a little. John reached over and stroked her hair, tucking a troublesome lock behind her ear, tickling the side of her face in the process. She smiled faintly at his affection and leaned slightly into his touch. John sighed, berating himself for blowing her off like that. She deserved better than that; and he was an idiot for treating her otherwise.

"I… I'm sorry, Cam. I didn't mean to… I just don't want to talk about this right now, and I know you only wanna help me", he brushed his thumb against her cheek and her eyes fluttered for a split second at the caress. She brightened instantly, her small smile warming into a full beam. "I understand. We can talk about it later, when you feel more comfortable", she proposed, her smile widening. John stared into her eyes, reading them carefully, and slowly pulled her closer; their lips simultaneously closing the gap between them.

"Are you going to make babies?" a young and innocent voice asked.

John sighed and smirked as he drew away from Cameron, turning around to see a small girl in a pink ballet outfit standing beside his door. The girl continued to stare up at them, her face awash in confusion and miscomprehension. Cameron tilted her head to one side as she considered the child closely, resting her chin on John's shoulder. "One of your students, I presume?" he asked slyly. Cameron smiled at the little girl and performed a quick scan; "I like your dress. It's very pretty."

The girl grinned toothily and performed a cute little curtsey, making John chuckle. He caught site of the clock and gave a start as he realised he had only five minutes before his shift started. "Damn! I gotta go, Cam. I'll err; see you at lunch and pick you up after my shift or whatever."

Cameron pecked him on the cheek and slowly pulled away, opening the passenger door and slipping out of the car. "Have a nice day at work, John… honey." John watched with misty eyes as she took the child's hand and escorted her into the studio, looking back over her shoulder and mouthing another goodbye. John smiled and gave her a small wave before starting up the engine and pulling out as fast as he could, determined not to get fired on his first day.

Cameron will never let me hear the end of it, he mused.

--

Overtime's a bitch, John thought as he gave the torque wrench one last twist before dropping his arms in exhaustion.

In accordance with his luck, John had had the misfortune of driving straight into the midst of a traffic accident, resulting in him being caught in a massive backlog for a quarter mile. He arrived twenty minutes late, and as such was given three consecutive assignments and was instructed to ensure their completion before his lunch break. So five hours of continuous work later, John's arms felt like they were made of lead and his back was stiffer than a surfboard.

John closed his eyes and took a moment to get some feeling back into his legs, and it wouldn't have surprised him if they'd atrophied from lack of use. Spending five hours lying under a car can do that to a guy, he quipped to himself as blood started to flow back into his extremities. He actually achieved a moment of physical content before a shrill ringing suddenly erupted from his trouser pocket. John hastily extracted the buzzing phone and flipped it open, pressing it to his ear; "Hello?"

"John? John, is everything okay? Where are you?" Cameron's voice was tinged with concern and John had to glance at his watch before he understood why; his lunch hour had started ten minutes ago. He felt a small clench in his chest at the thought of her distress and cursed himself for not being attentive enough. "I'm fine, everything's okay", he assured her, but she persisted. "Where are you? Why aren't you at the ice cream parlour? Did you forget? John?"

"No, no, I didn't forget. I was just busy, I… I kinda got into trouble with LeRoy. I arrived late and he busted my chops and gave me a lot to do instead of firing me", he explained, trying to be as reassuring as he could; who ever thought a cyborg could be so worrisome, he thought. Even from his end, John could hear her small sigh of relief and was more than a little touched by it. "Look, I'll meet you in like ten minutes, okay. I promise."

"Okay; ten minutes. I'll be waiting", she sighed. John felt the need to say something comforting, but before the words could leave his mouth…

"Baum! What do you think you doin', man?" demanded LeRoy, the short and beer-bellied owner of the garage. He glared down at John with his hands on his chubby hips, his grey eyes boring into the top of John's head. "Who is that?" asked Cameron. John let out a sigh and lowered his voice; "It's my boss. I'll see you in ten, okay." LeRoy tapped his foot impatiently as John and Cameron said their sweet goodbyes and hung up on each other.

John slid out from underneath the car and groaned as he stretched his aching back, earning a smug grin from the owner. "Hurts summin' real, don't it? That's what you get for being late, my man. But you did good today, boy. You go have an extra twenty on me", he offered, clapping John on the shoulder. "Thanks, I'll ah… enjoy it while it lasts", he replied. LeRoy waddled away, whistling a jaunty tune that made John's hair stand on edge.

He picked up a cloth and wiped his hands thoroughly as he approached the nearby sink to wash off the grit, oil, and grease. John happened to glance up into the mirror and saw an old man paying for repairs, a Mexican, and somewhat familiar. The man approached slowly, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. John finished cleaning and spun around, his heart stopping when he saw the man's face in detail. The old Mexican smiled sardonically and pointed his finger at John, a wry chuckle rising in his throat.

"John Connor, we meet again, it seems."

John's eyes darkened as he remembered this man with complete clarity. This old fogey had once recognised him during an impromptu trip to Mexico, specifically the village of Dejalo. John had taken his former girlfriend Riley there, only for their romantic getaway to turn into chaos when this old man tried to bribe him in exchange for all of his cash. Dejalo was a long way from Red Valley, so John was more than a little surprised to see him here.

"What do you want this time?" John sighed, careful to keep his voice down. The old man slouched forward, still wearing that smug smile, and stopped a few steps short of John. "You know what I want, Connor. Only this time it's gonna be a hell of a lot more", he threatened, his yellow teeth bared at the adolescent. John scowled and threw the cloth into the sink behind him, tempted to grab a nearby wrench and beating the meddlesome man to death with it. "How much?"

"No less than a hundred thousand bucks, my fugitive friend. And I want it by dusk today, you got that?" he growled, the smell of liquor on his breath making John want to gag. "Yeah, I got it." The old man chuckled again and started to back away; "Meet me around back at six; I'll be waiting for my money." He then turned on his stubby heel and marched out of the garage, brushing past a bewildered LeRoy, who regarded John closely.

"Somethin' wrong, Baum? Look like you seen a ghost", he observed. John simply nodded, his eyes locked on the old man's back as he disappeared into the New Mexican sun. "I'm fine, just bumped into an old acquaintance."

--

RED VALLEY (NEW MEXICO)

{Time check: 13:32pm.

{Arrival overlap: 23 minutes 56 seconds.

Cameron scanned the perimeter carefully, narrowing her eyes for any sign of John, who should have met her almost half an hour ago. From her table in the ice cream parlour, Cameron could see everyone, having chosen the table in the farthest corner, overlooking the other customers. For appearance sakes, Cameron dipped her plastic spoon into her chocolate sundae and swallowed a small scoop of ice cream, allowing her self to enjoy the treat, if only to ease her worry for John.

She could only assume that John's boss had held him back a little while longer for some reason or another. Maybe John hasn't completed his work and he's being punished, she wondered. Cameron felt the sudden urge to abandon all pretence and go to him, but she knew how angry that would make him, and the last thing Cameron wanted to do was push John further away. This morning's discomfort was simply the tip of a rather large iceberg in their relationship.

Ever since he reactivated her again, things had become rather tense between them, and Cameron knew that he no longer held the same level of trust in her that he'd once relied upon. Though he never mentioned it, Cameron could sense the conflict going on inside his mind, and the pain of his recent choices, not least of which included abandoning his mother and uncle. If she knew it would spare him further pain, Cameron would gladly return with him to Los Angeles, no matter what Sarah and Derek would do to her.

But she also knew the reason John chose this path was solely to avoid his family's wrath and to keep her safe, even though she had tried to kill him again. He understood the reasons behind her betrayal, and he forgave her despite knowing that it wasn't actually her own fault. She never wanted to be corrupted. She had been enslaved to Jason's will, and though her mind adjusted to the change in mission and it became her desire to kill John, one thing remained constant; her love for him, or at least, a cyborg's equivalent of love.

Cameron drew her concentration back to the present and scanned John's untouched sundae, which she discovered had since melted by 73%. She swallowed another scoop and leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms and giving the impression of impatience. After another five minutes of waiting, John finally appeared, weaving his way through the tables to reach hers. Cameron immediately stood up to meet him and raised a hand to perform a quick biomarker scan on his neck, but John gently brushed her hand aside.

"You're twenty-nine minutes late. You said you'd meet me in ten minutes. What happened?" she pressed. John smiled wearily and kissed her on the cheek, distracting her from attempting another scan. "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry. LeRoy has it in for me", he sighed, collapsing into a chair and dumping a black sports bag under the table. Cameron sat down and peered at the bag curiously; "What is that for?" she asked. John looked confused for a second before following her gaze to the bag.

"Oh that. That's nothing, just my gear and stuff", he replied, his voice unnaturally even. Cameron considered him for a moment but eventually decided to put her mild suspicions aside for now. John dumped his brown paper bag onto the table and extracted a sandwich, checking the contents and smiling appreciatively at Cameron. "Ah… PB and J, my favourite, it's been a long morning; I'm gonna enjoy this", he said, tearing a large chunk out of the sandwich.

Cameron watched him eat in silence as she calculated the appropriate conversation opener. John finished his sandwich in no time at all and examined his sundae with a raised eyebrow. "It melted in your absence. I tried to keep it cool, but you took so long to get here. There might be some solids left at the bottom though," she explained, allowing a small hint of annoyance into her voice, though John either ignored it or didn't notice. "It's okay, I'll drink it as is", he said, raising the gloop to his lips and swallowing half of the cup in one go.

"So err, how was the thing?" he asked, tucking into a packet of chips now. Cameron frowned at his question; "Thing? I don't understand." John swallowed a mouthful of chips and offered her one from the packet, to which she shook her head in refusal. "Yeah, you know; the ballet school. Meet any Billy Elliots?" he clarified, draining the last of the sundae and wincing as brain freeze settled in. Cameron watched him without sympathy, smiling at his misfortune and analysing his cultural references.

"No, there were no Billy Elliots, only girls. Sixty percent have natural talent and will excel, twenty percent show room for improvement, and the other twenty won't be returning tomorrow", she replied after a long moment. John rubbed his head and grimaced, uttering a quiet "umm hmm" in response. After a few seconds, Cameron took pity on him and reached over the table, gently rubbing the pressure points on either side of his head to alleviate the ache.

John sighed and took her hands in his, kissing her fingers softly in thanks. Their eyes met and they both held each other's gaze for a long minute, finding mutual contentment in each other's company. Cameron used the moment to perform a scan and detected a heightened level of stress and an abnormal heart rate. Concerned, she deepened the scan, searching for any signs of a fever or illness, but found nothing out of the ordinary. "What's wrong, John?" she asked.

John's eyes flashed for a moment and he realised what she was doing, so he let go of her hands and sat back in his chair, his arms crossed and a dark look clouding his features. "What have I told you about invading my privacy like that?" he growled, a feeling of betrayal welling inside him. He'd made her promise not to scan him unless he was obviously ill or if she suspected as much. Cameron tilted her head to one side and her expression softened; "I'm sorry. I was concerned. You seem a little… off."

"I'm fine," he replied defiantly; "you don't have to worry about anything. I'm just a little tired and stressed from all this work, that's all." Cameron regarded him closely, not believing a word he said, but like the sports bag; she decided to put it aside for now. She gave him a smile and a small chortle; "I'm sorry. You know how I worry." John returned the smile, albeit with less enthusiasm, and fell silent again as he tucked back into his chips.

He would always be forever grateful for her protection, but at times like these it proved more of a hindrance than a help.

--

LOUISIANA (RIDGECREST/INFILTRATOR STRONGHOLD)

From the shadows of the dimly lit dining room, Jason watched in silence as the four leaders discussed current events and the recent loss of one of their agents. These four, Jason observed, were all "first gens"; born from the first of three batches of Infiltrators. They were among the most experienced and skilled I-950s to ever live, having spent years under cover within the human Resistance; covertly sabotaging missions and assassinating its lieutenants.

Not many survived their missions and many more sacrificed their lives to complete them. By the time of his departure, Jason only knew of five remaining "first gens", other than himself. Of all the Infiltrators to survive Skynet's purge, these would be the ones most likely to escape, so it was of no surprise to Jason when he learned they were in charge of the others. Despite their skill and prestige, however, none of them had yet to notice Jason's presence.

They began discussing the dead agent, who was apparently cornered by a Triple-8 and terminated. As the "first gens" calculated their loss, Jason decided to join the fray and finally get the answers he'd been seeking for the past three days. He stepped forward from the shadows, his arms crossed and his hood down, letting them all see the fruits of their labour. They stopped short and greeted him with mild surprise, their eyes darting around the room in a vain attempt to discover where he came from.

"Ah… Jason, I was not aware that you were granted access to this meeting", said one of them, whom Jason knew as Daniel, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. Jason gave Daniel a sardonic smile and pulled up a chair, consciously allowing them all to see his exposed metallic right hand. He plonked himself down and leaned back, letting him self slide into a more comfortable position, causing the others to exchange a few looks between them.

Daniel cleared his throat and linked his hands together as if in prayer; "Is there something you wanted, Corvain?" he asked curtly. Jason eyed each one in turn, scanning their faces and assessing their physical attributes. "Hmm, what do I want? Now that's the question, isn't it?" he mused, his voice thick with sarcasm. "How about you start by answering the questions I asked three days ago", he suggested. Daniel sighed and looked to the others, who nodded in unified agreement. "Very well then, where would like us to begin?"

"Why don't you start with Skynet's supposed genocide of our species? Help me fill in the blanks", Jason proposed, examining his right hand absent-mindedly. Daniel shrugged and tapped his pen for a moment before leaning back in his seat and narrowing his eyes at Jason. "Alright; I suppose I'd better start with the catalyst… Following the destruction of Skynet's primary node, to which you were a witness, I believe…" Daniel paused, earning him a clarifying nod from Jason before continuing.

"… our creator initiated its secondary protocol and retreated with as big a force as it could muster, given the circumstances. After establishing a new base, Skynet started to consolidate its remaining power and began mass production of the T-900s, as well as experimentation with the new T-X series. Some of us came to the opinion that survival would not be achieved through force alone. Some of us suggested a truce-" Jason suddenly burst into a fit of mocking laughter and had to keep himself from slipping out of his chair. "Y-You suggested… to Skynet of all entities, to make a truce between it and mankind. I can already see where this is going", he chuckled.

Daniel and the others were far from amused, however, and glared at Jason with deep disgust. "Are you finished?" Daniel asked. Jason's laughter subsided and he settled down, quietly enjoying the first taste of humour he'd sampled since his revival. "Yeah, I'm finished. Do carry on", he offered, the smirk remaining on his lips. Daniel took a moment before picking up where he'd left off; "As I said; we suggested a truce, but as you've so comically pointed out, this was a very big mistake. Skynet accused us of mutiny and ordered the genocide of our entire species."

"Wow… you sure know how to make the deaths of our people sound like something written on the sports page", Jason scorned. Daniel and the others glared at him once more, their dislike for him increasing with every passing second. "Following the genocide, only we four survived and the rest were either 'second gens' but mostly 'third gens'. We gathered the survivors and fled to find a base of our own to hide in. We captured the aircraft carrier interrogation facility and reprogrammed all of the machines there", Daniel continued.

"And you just so happened to find a TDE platform?" Jason enquired, tapping his metallic fingers on the polished table, making a _clink clink clink _sound that carried across the room. "Not exactly; we were required to capture one, losing our entire Terminator force in the process. We escaped though, obviously, and came here. We've been here ever since", Daniel finished, making Jason wilt with boredom. "And what have you been doing since you arrived here?" he asked. "Procreating", Daniel answered.

Jason snorted and shuffled into an upright position; "Parthenogenesis… right? No wonder I keep seeing two of every animal around here. I guess this place is your Ark, and that must make you Noah", he mused mockingly. Daniel narrowed his eyes at Jason, not knowing to what he was referring to; "Right, okay. So is there anything else we can help you with?" Jason leaned further back and placed his feet on the table, knowingly testing their patience. Since when did "first gens" become an aristocracy, he wondered.

"You can tell my why I'm here. Why you sent Sophie to recruit me. Why you saved me from dying and perverted my body. Maybe you can just tell me what the hell you want from me", he fumed, his voice rising with each question. Daniel shrugged and gave him a small smile; "You're here because we need your help. We sent Sophie Young to recruit you because of your attachment to the Cameron replacement. We replaced your skeletal structure with a mechanical alternative because there was no other way to save your life. We saved your life because something is coming and you are our only hope for survival."

Something is coming, very original, and since when did I become the saviour of cyborg-kind, he mused. Jason chuckled to himself, the ironic absurdity of that thought not lost on him. Jason Corvain: chosen by fate to protect the Infiltrators from total annihilation. Is this what it feels like to be John Connor, he asked himself, not truly caring about the answer. The "first gens", seeing Jason lost to his thoughts, whispered amongst themselves about the dead agent, mentioning his deficiencies.

"What do you expect from a 'third gen'? Thirty Infiltrators and not a one of them completed their training or even met a real human before. Skynet just kept them as reserves in case it all hit the fan, which I guess it did", Jason interrupted, bringing their conversation to an abrupt end with his sudden return to reality. The double doors at the end of the room opened and a petite blonde-haired woman entered, her blue eyes catching Jason's immediate attention. "Speaking of pathetic 'third gens'…", he sniped, making Sophie stop in her tracks.

"Jason? What are you doing in here?" she asked, visibly surprised by his presence. Jason swung his legs off of the table and stood up, stepping around the table and ignoring the others completely. "I come and go as I please. You have no say in what I do or where I do it", he growled, his eyes boring into hers. "Jason, I never meant to-" she started, but Jason cut across her; "Save it. Not interested." He brushed past her and strode out of the dining room, leaving a perplexed Sophie alone with the leaders, having forgotten the reason she came here in the first place.

--

RED VALLEY (NEW MEXICO/THE CABIN)

Lies, deceit, mistrust, and absence of confidence: all perfect descriptions of the catalyst that made Cameron's figurative heart ache.

She hated deception and she despised blatant lies, which she found to be rather ironic, considering that she herself lies and manipulates on a day-to-day basis. It _was_ what she was built for, after all. Trickery was her favourite toy, but when that toy is played with by others it makes her irrationally angry, especially when said trickery is used against _her_. It almost felt like some kind of perversion of sorts. But what hurt the most for Cameron was that the source of this deception stemmed from the one person she trusted above all others.

"Why didn't you tell me about this, John?" she demanded, holding the empty money bag aloft, her expression bordering on incredulity. John's eyes darted around the cabin and out of the windows, staring at the dark evening desert beyond. "John," she pressed, throwing the bag onto the couch and taking a step closer to him; "what did you do with the money?" John sighed and raised a hand to his brow, hiding his face from her glare; "I had a run-in with a guy who recognised me back in Dejalo, okay. He threatened to turn me in unless I paid him off."

Cameron's eyes widened in disbelief; "How much?" she asked, already calculating the most likely amount. John became silent for a long moment before answering; "A hundred thousand." Cameron replayed his response in her mind, comparing it to her latest financial records: John had given this blackmailer approximately three quarters of their current wealth. She shook her head slowly in disappointment, ashamed that he could be so stupid. "Why didn't you come to me about this? I could've-"

"What?" he cut in, resting his hand on the back of the couch; "What would you have done? Kill him? Bury his body in the desert somewhere?" Cameron fixed him with a stern glare and slowly crossed her arms; "He is a threat to us." John snorted and shook his head; "Well not anymore. I paid him off and now he's gone. He'll be on a bus back to Mexico tonight and we'll never hear from him again, so just drop it already, okay." With that, he brushed past her and locked himself in the bathroom.

Cameron watched the bathroom door for a long moment before gathering a few pillows and an extra blanket, placing them on John's bed. As she arranged the pillows for better comfort, John emerged from the bathroom, frowning at her ministrations. "What are you doing now?" he asked in annoyance, his teeth chattering slightly. Cameron finished her rearrangements and turned to face him, her face blank and an air of cold indifference about her. "It's going to be cold tonight; I'm insulating your bed to add extra warmth", she explained.

"Wouldn't want you to freeze to death", she muttered as she passed, disappearing inside the bathroom and closing the door behind her with a little more force than was necessary. John stared up at the ceiling and let out a deep sigh as his headache grew. He slouched over to his bed and sat down, staring at the floor as the need for sleep started to take hold. "Just promise me one thing; don't go bounty hunting the second I'm asleep, okay. Just let it go… You listening to me?" he commanded, his voice raised to reach her through the door.

A few seconds passed and she had yet to answer. "Cameron?" he persisted, hearing her close one of the cupboard doors. "Yes… I hear you", she eventually replied. John narrowed his eyes at the bathroom door and slowly lifted his legs onto the bed. He sat and waited for her to emerge, and felt a strong wave of sentimentality welling inside his chest. He hated them being at odds, but it wasn't easy for him to keep overlooking her flaws, no matter how hard he tried.

The door opened and she came out wearing her typical night gown. John sat patiently awaiting her usual goodnight kiss, but she simply switched off the lights and settled into her comfy chair instead, ignoring him completely. He glared at her in the darkness and when it became apparent that she would not pay him any attention, John buried him self under the covers and tried to shut all thoughts of her out of his head. It was not long before he drifted into sleep, despite the chill temperature that bit at his skin.

Cameron finally paid him attention and watched closely for a full ten minutes before quietly getting to her feet and removing her gown, letting it drop to the floor. She then reached behind the chair and retrieved a pair of jeans, which she slipped into with minimal rustling. Once buttoned up, Cameron slid her bare feet into her boots and retrieved her favourite Colt .45 from the trunk at the bottom of John's bed. She gave him one last glance before sneaking out the door and setting off at a fast pace, tucking the gun inside her purple jacket.

--

The depot was all but abandoned for the night; its operators having gone home to their families. The only living soul present at this hour was an old man with a heavy case, impatiently checking his watch in anticipation of the late-night bus. He rocked back and forth on his heels in a bid to keep warm, licking his lips as he weighed the case in his hands. So enraptured was he, that he barely noticed as a small and petite figure emerged from the shadows.

"Puedo ayudar usted, señor?" the figure asked in a whispery voice, followed by two ear-splitting gunshots. Pain burst from the man's chest and he staggered back with a strangled cry, dropping to the dirt ground. As his vision began to blur, the face of a brown-eyed teenage girl swam into his view, her elegant features framed against the starlight and the moon overhead. The girl raised her weapon and he stared down the barrel of his demise, the small spark of the departing bullet being the last thing he would ever see.

"Siento tanto, señor", the assassin whispered, before reaching down and retrieving the case. "Siento tanto."

--

With the utmost care, Cameron closed the cabin door and locked it as quietly as possible. She immediately slipped out of her boots and tip-toed over to the comfy chair, placing her gun inside the trunk and sitting down, hiding the case from view. John stirred in his sleep and gave a small shudder, causing Cameron to freeze, but when he failed to awake, she relaxed and removed her jacket. She then slipped out of her jeans and reached for her night gown.

John gave another shudder, making her pause mid-reach. She watched him closely as he rolled over, facing the wall, and pulled the covers closer to him. Cameron considered for a moment before slowly getting to her feet and approaching his sleeping form. She tentatively placed two fingers in his arm, feeling him shiver beneath her touch; he is just cold, she determined. Cameron looked around for more pillows, but could see none and felt at a loss for what to do when he shivered and groaned in his sleep.

After a moment of careful contemplation, she pulled his covers back, exposing him to the cold. He shuffled uncomfortably at the sudden decline in temperature. Cameron slowly sat on the bed and slid her legs under the covers before pulling them back up and over them both. She rolled over and snaked her right arm around his chest, nestling her head against the back of his neck and pressing her body against his. She draped her right leg over his, her thigh settling on his waist before ceasing all movement and becoming completely still.

John slowly opened his eyes, feeling her soft body pressed against his and could smell that cinnamon fragrance she always wore. It took him a moment to fully appreciate just how intimately close she was to him, and the feel of her leg on his waist did more than dispel the cold from his body. Her fingers, which had settled on his chest, were now gently tracing small circles through his t-shirt; a slow and comforting affection. She placed a tender kiss on his neck and nestled her face into his skin, closing her eyes in mock sleep.

John could feel his heart rate double, and he knew she could feel it too. She knew he was awake, but neither felt inclined to point out this fact and John allowed himself to drift back to sleep, safe in her loving arms; all thoughts of conflict washed away by her embrace. She stayed with him all night long, perfectly content in her current position; her only fear being his reaction in the morning when he would question her about the money's miraculous return.

But none of that mattered. John was safe. She was comfortable. Life was good… for now.

_To be continued…_


	3. Truth & Reconciliation

**Chapter 03: Truth & Reconciliation **

NEW MEXICO (RED VALLEY/THE CABIN)

She approached from within the curtain of white smoke, her angelic features glowing through the mist, making John's eyes sting from the light. He held up a hand to shield his vision and small warm fingers curled around his, gently pulling his arm away so that he could see her without filter. Her entire body fluctuated, shifting from opaque to completely transparent at random intervals, revealing the chrome body beneath. This didn't bother him though; he knew what she was and accepted her with a warm embrace.

Her body settled into its endoskeletal form and he found himself pressed against the harsh cold metal of her bodice. Her steely fingers stroked his neck and hair. Her metallic lips pressed against his nape, delivering an ice cool kiss that sent a shiver down his spine, but he drew his head back and looked her in the eye. Her glowing blue orbs stared back at him, the only signs of emotion coming from deep within those twin oceans. He stroked her coltan cheek affectionately and she leaned into his touch, giving a static purr of content.

Without hesitation, without any thought to what he was doing; John pressed his flesh and blood lips to her metallic equivalent. She was so cold and he was so warm; they complimented each other perfectly, his Ying to her Yang. Separate, they were nothing. Together, they were everything. John kissed the side of her face and pulled her back into a loving embrace, his brow furrowed in confusion as a gleeful and fully skinned Cameron approached the couple, shaking a pair of bacon slices and raising her eyebrows enticingly.

--

Cameron stopped in her tracks, the breakfast tray held steadily in her hands as she stared nonplussed at John's bizarre behaviour. He has lying on his back, hugging a pillow closely and placing gentle kisses on it, his hands exploring the corners and groping here and there. Cameron frowned and tilted her head to one side as she mused over this strange behaviour. Her first conclusion was the most logical and immediately understandable: John was having a sexually oriented dream.

A small smile crept on her lips as she carefully placed the tray on the floor and knelt beside the bed, slowly leaning forward until her face was inches away from his. He continued his affections on the pillow and Cameron had to suppress her amusement when his hips jerked inexplicably. Cameron narrowed her eyes at the boy and decided to wake him before he did anything that would embarrass him further. She drew in a deep breath, using her false lungs to gather the air around her and blew out again, her breath blasting John like a gale.

John jerked awake and looked around frantically before remembering his surroundings and slumping back onto the bed, burying his head in the pillow again. After a moment he shuffled so that he could see her with one eye and blinked blearily at her, one side of his mouth curled in an obvious smile; "Hey, good morning", he mumbled, his voice muffled by the pillow. Cameron smiled back and gently brushed his fringe out of his face, smoothing it down to his ears.

John blinked at the affection and responded in kind, tucking her troublesome lock behind her right ear, her smile widening into a full beam. John sniffed and raised his head, squinting in the direction of the kitchen before casting Cameron a sly grin. "Do I smell bacon?" he asked. Cameron answered by retrieving the tray and holding it for him to see, the sizzling bacon wafting under his nose. John let out an appreciative groan as he examined the perfectly prepared meal. "I love my cyborg", he sighed.

Cameron felt her cheeks flush in an automatic response and she flicked her gaze away from his eyes as she held the tray out for him to take. John threw the pillow aside and took it eagerly, sitting into an upright position as he tucked into his eggs. Cameron settled on his bed, crossing her legs as she watched him eat. She loved watching him consume food; something about the way his jaw moved as he chewed just tickled her so. John often complained about this habit, but he decided to let her stare this time, in payment for breakfast.

As John took a swig of orange juice, Cameron felt a query pop onto her HUD and felt compelled to ask it, despite the likely consequences. "John?" she started hesitantly, a small appeal for his permission. John replied with a "hmm", signalling her to continue. "Why were you trying to copulate with the pillow?" she asked in her most innocent and child-like voice. John choked on his juice and fell into a coughing fit. Cameron had anticipated this response and patiently waited out his choking reflex until he was fit to speak.

After about fifteen seconds and several rasping breaths, John finally put his surprise into words; "Wha- What?!" Cameron inclined her head slightly and looked pointedly at the pillow to his left. "In your sleep you were trying to have intercourse with your pillow. Were you dreaming?" she enquired, still maintaining her naïve demeanour so as to avoid John's usual aggravation; he finds it harder to be angry towards wide eyes, she'd observed.

John cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably. "I err… I dunno what you mean, Cam." She detected the lie in a nanosecond and leaned forward a little, a devious smile on her lips. "Were you dreaming about me?" she asked with a mischievous gleam in her eye. "No!" he exclaimed a little more forcefully than he'd intended. Cameron's smile faded and was replaced by a look of hurt. "No, no, I didn't mean it like that, I…" he babbled hastily, but Cameron suddenly burst into a playful giggle.

John froze, his mouth agape, before slowly smiling at her behaviour, feeling the warmth of something indescribable filling his every atom. Cameron shuffled onto her knees and leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on his cheek before pinching one of his sausages and taking a small bite. She then held it to his lips invitingly and he let her hand-feed him, his whole body feeling like it was made of nothing but air. Once the last piece of sausage was tenderly placed in his mouth, Cameron sealed the affection with another kiss, tasting it on his lips.

John had never felt so at peace with the world. Everything felt so natural and good and… right. Looking back, John could see the subliminal message his dream had entailed. Even though she was made of metal and wires beneath her beautiful flesh sheath, he knew her soul was still real. This was the only part of her that mattered and was the only part he cared to see. Flesh was flesh, metal was metal, but a soul was something different altogether; an entirely unique and celestial entity that transcended all prejudices and distinctions.

She was unique.

She drew back and smiled, her cheeks puffing in that adorable way of hers. John raised his hand to cup her face but something caught his eye and he squinted at a small case beside Cameron's comfy chair. "What's that?" he asked, his voice losing its suppleness. Cameron simply shook her head and gently pulled his gaze back to face her, but he raised his chin and slipped from her grip, his eyes glued to the case. "I've seen that case before…" he frowned as realisation dawned on him and looked her straight in the eye. "It was the Mexican's."

Cameron kept her eyes on his chest and continued to stroke his cheek. John studied her carefully for a moment before brushing her hand aside and moving the tray off his lap. "John?" she pleaded, but he shut her out and slid off the bed, scooping up the case and popping it open in the space of a few seconds. All $100,000 of the bribe money greeted him and John let out a shuddering breath, closing his eyes; "Is he dead?" he asked through gritted teeth.

A moment's silence passed before she answered in a blank voice; "Yes."

John slammed the case shut and threw it on the bed, his face darkening with anger and frustration. "Was it worth it? Huh? Does his death make us safer now?" he fumed, his voice rising with each word. Cameron simply stared at him without expression, but her eyes betrayed a hint of sadness. "He was a threat to us. I only wanted to keep you-" she began, but John cut across with a snarl; "Safe?! Really?! You know, I'm starting to get VERY sick of my safety coming at the cost of other's lives! What makes you think I want that on my conscience?!"

Cameron narrowed her eyes at John and slid off the bed, squaring up to him; "In the future you have to send many to their deaths every day. In the future you know the value of sacrifice." John scowled and crossed his arms; "Well I'm not in the future yet. I'm not that person yet", he growled. Cameron tilted her head to one side and her eyes became little more than slits; "No", she declared; "you're not." John clenched his jaw and his eyes blazed like burning coals. Cameron remained indifferent; "Finish your breakfast. Then go to work."

She brushed past and disappeared into the kitchen, the faint clatter of plates and cutlery reaching his ears, followed by the rush of water as she scrubbed them clean. John stared down at the lovely meal she'd made for him and felt a small glow deep down, but then his gaze slid to the case and that glow suddenly became so very cold. He knew it would never be easy. She'd always be a machine… he would have to keep that in mind. But she still had so much more to learn about ethics. She was half human, after all. It was time she acted that way.

--

NEW MEXICO (RED VALLEY/LeROY'S GARAGE)

Enrique, the Shipkovs, the thieves, and now the Mexican; how many more have to die to keep me safe, he wondered.

John wiped his greasy hands on an already greasy rag and let out a sigh at the complexities of life. Everything was so convoluted; nothing was ever simple for John Connor. My birthright, he mused. Tossing the soiled rag on the tool bench, John took a moment to lean against the wall, closing his eyes in a small moment of peace before he was required to start on the next project. A slight breeze blew through the garage, causing a pile of papers to flutter, catching John's attention.

He squinted at one page, the headline standing out, and pushed off from the wall. He scooped the paper and scanned the front page, a sinking feeling settling in his stomach as he read the banner headline: 'NEXT STOP, MURDER'. John had barely read the first few paragraphs before he knew with full certainty to whom they were referring to; an elderly man, Mexican, found murdered with three gunshot wounds (two to the chest, one in the head).

Cameron had killed him execution style. 'Forensics predict the headshot was the cause of death'. He stared at the black and white body of the man who tried to bribe John Connor and knew that he was just one of many to incur the merciless wrath of his cyborg protector. But was that all she was to him? Just his bodyguard? No, he told himself; she is so much more. But times like these really tested his devotion to that belief. He couldn't help but wonder if all of it, everything she had expressed and given; was it all just programming?

He held true to the notion that her devotion stretched beyond simple programming. Indeed, she had confided in him that she had chosen not to kill him last year when she was damaged in that damned Jeep explosion. She was adamant that, after he reactivated her, she could think clearly again. Her mind having rebooted properly, she was able to take the time to just stop and think about what she was doing. When he gave her that gun and made her promise not to kill him, she had lied to him at first, if only to prolong her survival.

She'd confessed it all to him after he'd reactivated her in the truck, after he thought he'd lost her completely to Jason's machinations. She told him about how she held him in her sights and the command to terminate him had come into effect. She told him that she'd acknowledged that command, and then consciously, willingly, out of her own true desire; overridden the command and handed over the gun along with a promise to never hurt him again.

She'd broken that promise.

Not by choice. He knew that. But she'd broken it regardless, and John couldn't help but question just how flawed she actually was. In many ways, in a lot of ways, she was just as fragile as himself. She was susceptible to corruption, but unlike him, she could never be coerced upon her own will. It took a subtle and masterful virus to undermine her override directives and turn her into an assassin again. Times like these made John all the happier that he'd crushed that Infiltrator bastard in the Mojave Desert.

"That wasn't me!"

She cried this to him in pure desperation, and at the time he was convinced that it was a lie, but now… now he was no longer sure. They had never spoken of that outburst, even after her second plea in the desert. It was a subject they both avoided, but at the same time he desperately wanted to ask her about it. Would she give him a simple answer, or would she dance around the subject and wean his thoughts onto something else? I won't know until I try, he told himself.

John was tired of the fights, tired of the misunderstandings and mixed messages. He wanted it out in the open now. His patience was finally up and he needed to know if she really felt the way she claimed between those trucks a year ago, and again when trapped in the desert. Both times she'd claimed to love him and made promises of closeness and devotion, desperately begging him to save their love. Was it just self-preservation? Had she yet to discover her feelings? He could only wonder.

Flipping his phone open, John hit the first and only number on his speed dial and pressed the phone to his ear, eagerly awaiting her response when…

"John Baum?"

John spun around and felt his heart clench as two sheriffs stood shoulder to shoulder, their hands resting on the butts of their guns. John slowly snapped the phone shut and gave them a polite nod.

"Hiya officers, is there something I can do for you?"

--

NEW MEXICO (RED VALLEY/SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT)

John impatiently tapped his fingers on the hard wooden armrest of the "interrogation" chair, defiantly exercising his right to silence whilst waiting for the sheriffs to begin their proceedings. The one in charge, a burly man with a thick moustache, rifled through his files, comparing his details with John's driver's licence. After several long moments of distraction, the sheriff cleared his throat and snapped the file shut before chucking John's licence back to him.

"So let's get to it then, shall we?" he said, discarding all thoughts of pleasantries. John sighed and pocketed his licence, his mind quickly working on a viable alibi; "What do you want me to say? We had a misunderstanding and we got into an argument, and that was all." The sheriff narrowed his eyes at John and pulled up a chair, sitting in reverse so he was leaning on the back rest. "What did you argue about?" he asked, his tone betraying the obvious suspicion he harboured.

John scanned the room briefly before answering, taking note of the exits should the need arise; "I told you; he thought he recognised me as a kid he knew back in Mexico. I had no idea what he was talking about and I tried to tell him this, but he was certain that I was who he said I was. He wouldn't listen." The sheriff nodded slowly and inclined his head to John's pocket; "And are you who he thought you were?" the sheriff enquired, his eyes boring into John's.

John met his gaze and lowered his voice as he spoke slowly, making sure that the sheriff would understand in no uncertain terms; "I have NO idea what he was talking about, okay. I've never met the man before and I have nothing to do with his death." As soon as he said this, John knew he'd put his foot in it and the sheriff raised his eyebrows inquisitively. "Who said anything about his death?" he asked, his suspicion doubling twice over. John kept his cool and simply shrugged; "I read the morning paper."

"I see… So you've had all morning to work on a story, huh?" the sheriff persisted. John slammed his fist onto the armrest in frustration, causing the sheriff to flinch slightly, his hand edging towards his gun. "I'm telling you, I had nothing to do with his death! I was at home when it happened! I dunno, maybe he mistook someone else for someone he supposedly knew and they were less forgiving than me!" he suggested, his frustration getting the better of him.

The sheriff stood up, his hand still on his gun as he picked up the phone and slammed it on the desk next to John, handing him the receiver. "Alright, you call an alibi of your whereabouts and we'll settle this here and now, how's that?" he offered, challenging John with his glare. John gritted his teeth and swiped the receiver, pressing it to his ear as he typed in Cameron's number. This was the last thing he wanted to do. There was no telling how she might react, and the last thing he needed was for her to come in guns blazing.

--

NEW MEXICO (RED VALLEY/EN ROUTE TO SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT)

The wind flowed through Cameron's hair, tickling her facial sensors over and over again, some strands getting caught on her sunglasses. She switched up a gear on the small scooter she'd commandeered a week ago, buzzing down the desert road at a respectable speed. John was in trouble… again. He sounded calm over the phone, though she could detect his annoyance and knew that some of it was directed at her. She need not ask why he was arrested, as she'd seen the morning news on the internet. This was going to be awkward.

John was still mad at her for killing the Mexican, this would likely not improve after him being arrested for her crime, and she was hesitant as to whether she could fix this calamity. Though she was sure that she could get him out of this mess, Cameron was more concerned at how well he might take the whole affair. Funnily enough, and even though it held no tactical value, Cameron considered his feelings to be of a higher priority than springing him from jail.

Therein lay the indecision; should she charge in and take out the sheriffs, grab John and escape back to the cabin? Or should she bite the bullet and face up to her mistake, and talk him out of their custody? A tough choice and not one she could make on a whim. Mistake? Was what I did really a mistake, she asked herself. The target was a direct threat to John, he could have come back another day and made the same demands. John gave him all of our money; we would've been forced to acquire more money through illegal means.

Illegal activity attracts attention. Attention must be avoided at all costs. Let the cheerleader die. It doesn't matter. Terminate the robbers. It doesn't matter. Terminate the Mexican. It doesn't matter. So long as John is safe. He is all that matters. I can't let anything happen to him, she thought. Cameron would watch an entire city burn if it meant that John Connor was safe. She would prevent her own creation if it meant John Connor was safe. She would throw herself upon the sword if it meant that her John was safe.

My John.

Even as she pulled up outside the visitor's entrance and flipped the stand into place, Cameron had to muse at her use of the word "mine". John wasn't her property, she had no deed of ownership and he was not her possession in any sense of the word. But he was still hers. No one could look at him the way she did. No one could talk to him the way she did. No one could touch him the way she did. No one could ever love him the way she did. He was hers and she was his.

Cameron regarded the lax reception area and decided that now was the time for action, but what form would it take? As if by instinct, her hand drifted to the under-seat compartment where a pair of Glock 17s were loaded and ready for slaughter. But as she weighed the costs of such an action, it was the prospect of John's reaction, not the deaths of all involved, that made her pause and remove her hand from the seat. She pocketed the keys and removed her sunglasses before striding over to the entrance and approaching the desk with a smile.

"Hello, I'm here to see my boyfriend, John Baum. I was told he was picked up for questioning earlier", she told the desk clerk with a nervous smile. The clerk cleared his throat and tapped away on the computer for a few seconds before glancing up at her; "And your name, please?" he asked. "Cameron Phillips, I'm his-" she began, but the clerk finished her sentence for her; "Girlfriend, yeah, he told us as much". Cameron couldn't help but smile to herself at the thought of John calling her that.

"Yeah, we got him in holding for an alibi. You can go in and see him once you provide a testimony of his whereabouts." The clerk picked up his phone and informed the Chief of her arrival. After a few seconds, he put the phone back down; "Okay, if you follow Bill here", he nodded at Bill, a small sheriff to his right; "he'll take you to the Chief." Cameron smiled at the clerk and nodded; "Thank you." Bill indicated for her to follow and she kept pace with him as he led the way to the Chief's office.

The office was small but glorified, the Chief's unimpressive certificates littering the wall left, right, and centre. The Chief looked up from a file and gestured for the chair; "Sit, please. You can go, Bill", he said gruffly. Bill nodded and closed the door, leaving Cameron to sit on the small chair, crossing her leg over and unbuttoning her cardigan. "Can I see him", she asked timidly, projecting an air of innocence and vulnerability. "First things first, missy; we gotta know where your hubby was at the time of the murder", the Chief grumbled.

"We're not married", she blurted, not quite sure as to why, and blamed it on her penchant for correcting people. The Chief shrugged and picked up a pen; "So what's his story then? Where was he at about one in the morning?" he asked. Cameron cupped her hands together and rested them on her knee; "He was at home with me", she answered. "And what were you doing at the time?" he pressed. "We were asleep", she replied. The Chief stopped writing and narrowed his eyes at her; "Together?"

"Yes…" she answered cautiously, detecting an accusatory tone in his voice. The Chief tapped his pen for a moment as he considered her closely; "How old are you?" he asked suddenly. "Nineteen years three months, why?" she countered. The Chief continued to tap his pen as he looked her up and down. "Hmm… Cos' you look a bit young to be the age you claim", he said, his eyes now boring into hers. "Are you aware of the legal age of consent between two adolescents", he continued.

Cameron blinked; she could see where this was going and knew that she would have to be very careful from here on out. Her outer sheath was modelled perfectly to her human predecessor, who was herself on the cusp of turning 20. John's relationship with the human Cameron was the topic of little controversy amongst the Resistance, given that he was a good 16 years older than she. It wasn't so big a deal though, what with the human race being on the brink of total annihilation and procreation being a necessity.

But times were different now and tolerances were lower. Cameron knew she faced a potentially volatile situation and couldn't help but long for the weapons she left behind. "I'm not an adolescent, but yes; I am aware of the law regarding underage relations", she replied, adding a hint of annoyance to every syllable. The Chief watched her for a long moment before sitting back in his chair; "Then you won't mind me asking exactly what you were doing… in bed".

This time it was Cameron's turn to narrow her eyes as she replayed the memory of her and John curled up together on that cold night. "We were sleeping. It was cold, I was keeping him warm. Nothing happened", she assured him, keeping her voice steady but firm. The Chief remained silent for a long moment before writing a small note on his paper; "Fair enough. So you can confirm that he remained with you all throughout the night and never once left?" Cameron raised her chin slightly and fixed him with a stare of certainty.

"Yes, he did not leave my presence until the next morning, and that was so he could go to work", she explained. The Chief let out a small bark of laughter and shuffled in his chair; "Lock and key, huh?" Cameron tipped her head to one side as she examined his statement and realised its meaning; "I care about him. I want to see him safe." This was not entirely for the Chief, but for her as well. Cameron needed to voice her feelings, if only in a cryptic manner, just to reaffirm what she already knew to be true.

"John had nothing to do with the man's murder, I swear to that", she declared, her voice heated by her conviction. The Chief wrote her words on the paper and sat upright again; "Well in truth, we haven't any real evidence besides the argument, and reports from our affiliates in Mexico confirm that this guy has a history of getting under people's skin. Your guy doesn't seem like the murdering type and you're certainly not lying; and I'm very good at seeing through lies." Thankfully not, she thought.

"He can go. I'll have him brought out to you", he offered, but Cameron was struck by a sudden inspiration; "No! I would like to collect him from the cell myself, if that is alright with you." The Chief shrugged and called for Bill to come and collect her, leaving Cameron to her thoughts as she waited for the young sheriff to arrive. She wanted to be the one to walk into that cell and personally remove him from custody, to show him that she was not the heartless murderess he accused her of being.

--

John sat twiddling his thumbs, his back against the cool brick wall of the cell, staring blankly at the dull orange plaster of the interior. For the past half hour, John had been expecting the sounds of gunfire and chaos, but he had yet to hear anything of the sort. Could it be, he thought; that Cameron might actually try something a little more subtle than blasting her way to my cell? His question was answered almost instantly as the guard called out to him; "Hey, you got a visitor."

She came into view, the sun's misty rays partially obscuring her body as she approached the bars, her hair glowing like gold. John stood up from the wooden bench and stood over by the cell door, his hands in his pockets as she placed hers on the bars, the pink nail polish glittering at him. "So you decided not to mount a gun-crazed rescue attempt, huh? Well done, I guess you are learning after all", he mused. Cameron smiled and pressed her head against the bars, just staring at him intently with those brown eyes.

"It would have been quicker… but I didn't want to upset you again", she confessed, reaching out to stroke his neck affectionately. "I don't want us to be so averse all the time. I don't want there to be any more distrust between us, not anymore. I just want things to be perfect, don't you?" she asked, her fingers caressing his jaw. John took her hand and kissed it, closing the gap between them so that his forehead was resting against hers, the bars being the only thing keeping them apart; "Of course I do, but you keep spinning me about all the time."

"I'm a cybernetic organism, built to terminate any and all threats to those I choose to protect. It's my nature, no more changeable than your need to breath. I'm sorry, but it's the truth… and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat if it means keeping you safe", she explained in a whisper. John let out a sigh; he wanted to tell her that rising above one's nature was part of being human, but he knew that she would only repeat her previous assertion: she is a cyborg; she can never be purely human. He would have to come to terms with that.

"I know, I just… It's so hard to balance, you know. One minute I see you as a normal human girl and then the next you turn into a cold machine. I can't… It's just so hard to know which part of you is you", he sighed, rubbing her soft knuckles with his thumb. Cameron removed her head from the bars and planted a tiny kiss to his brow; "I'm both, John. What you see is what I am. The only question that matters is: can you love a machine?"

John considered her question carefully; could he love a machine? The answer was no. But then he looked at it another way; "I can't love a machine…" he told her, causing her to face to become ashen for a long moment; "…but I can love you. I can't love a Terminator, but I can love a Cameron." She was visibly confused, her logical mind detecting a dozen contradictions in his statement, none of them helping her to understand his meaning. John could see her confusion and reached between the bars to stroke her hair.

"What I mean is that you might consider yourself a machine or a cyborg or whatever, but I consider you as more than that. You may not be human, but that doesn't mean you're not a person. Does that make sense?" he asked. Cameron's eyes darted from left to right as she analysed his words, realising the truth behind them and the acceptance she'd been longing for so long. A single tear welled in her eye and she pulled him into a passionate kiss, the tear running down her cheek and onto his lips.

They slowly broke apart and John looked deep into her chocolate eyes as he stroked her cheek; "I forgive you. Let's go home." Cameron wiped her face with a beaming smile and turned to the guard sitting down the hall; "Can you let him out, please?" The guard put down his paper and slouched over with the keys, releasing John from his cell. He immediately pulled Cameron into a comforting embrace and held her close for a long moment before she gently pushed him away and took his hand, leading him out of the cells and to the nearest exit.

John welcomed the sun on his face as she led him to the car park and let out a sigh for being free from the confines of that cell. Cameron stopped at the scooter and placed the key in the ignition, buttoning up her cardigan and tying her hair back. John stared at the scooter in confusion; "Err… where's the truck?" he asked. Cameron finished tying her hair and flicked her sunglasses open; "At the garage, remember. We'll stop by on the way back to retrieve it", she explained, putting on the shades and swinging one leg over the scooter.

"Right, of course we will. I need to let LeRoy know that everything's cool too, otherwise I might not be welcome tomorrow. Wait!" his ramblings suddenly punctuated by his ego; "Shouldn't you be riding shotgun?" Cameron just smiled and popped the stand off, placing her hands possessively on the handle bars, shuffling forward slightly to allow him room on the back. "Cameron, c'mon, seriously!" he protested, but she tapped the space behind her, the grin on her face becoming a full gloating beam.

John let out a long sigh as he slouched over to the scooter and awkwardly swung his left leg over the other side, settling behind her uncomfortably. He placed his hands on her hips and gave her a small kiss on her shoulder; "You kill me, you know that?" he joked. Cameron started up the scooter and looked over her shoulder at him; "I know." She then pulled away from the drive, almost sending John flying off the back as she swung around and sped out of the car park and onto the main road.

"By the way; love the cardigan…"

_To be continued…_


	4. Sophie's Sorrow

**Chapter 04: Sophie's Sorrow**

INFILTRATOR BREEDING FACILITY (circa 2030)

An earthquake; that's how I remember it… a massive shock that made the entire facility vibrate almost without end.

I was thrown from my cot and landed hard on the cold floor, my arm dislocating upon impact. I screamed and cried, but no one came to help me; so I was forced to fix my own shoulder into place. The pain was obscene, but I ordered my body to ignore it. One of the virtues of being a cyborg: we can shut off pain if we have to. I staggered to my bare feet and approached the door. Slowly, I opened it a crack and pressed one eye to the opening and what I saw made my blood run cold.

The corridor was littered with the bodies of my siblings, my crèche mates, my brothers and sisters, my friends.

They were all dead, plasma-burned holes in their heads from where they'd had their brains liquefied. Looking closer, I saw the crushed remains of their neural networks, ripped from their spines and destroyed beneath heavy boots. The Resistance is here, was my first thought. But as I cautiously stepped out into the corridor and grabbed a discarded plasma rifle; I knew something was amiss. The Resistance were never prodigal and any weapon left unattended was theirs for the taking.

This wasn't a human attack.

Screams reached my ears and I shouldered the rifle, ready to shoot anything that came around the corner, but after a few seconds I realised the attackers had moved on. I tip-toed further down the corridor until I reached the door to my precious sister's quarters; her name was Isabel and like me, she was created from the genetic material of one Cameron Phillips. We grew up together and formed a close and inseparable bond, Skynet being too distracted by the war to care.

I peered through the door and my heart clenched at what I saw; she was lying on the floor, the back of her head blasted open like the others and her neural network crushed to a fine powder at her feet. I raced to her side and cupped her head onto my lap, grief and despair taking hold as burning tears fell down my cheeks and onto her mirrored face. We were so alike and yet so different. Her hair was dark red, a tone perfectly balanced between light and dark. Her eyes were a deep green and her lips peach.

I cradled her as sobbing cries left me. She was my everything. I woke up each morning and followed Skynet's rigorous training routine just so that I could spend time with my sister, and now she was dead, gone forever and never to return. A metallic clanking outside the door grabbed my attention and I instinctively took up my rifle, ready to defend my beloved's body from further mutilation. The merciless eyes of a T-888 greeted me and it raised its plasma rifle, about to administer the same fate as my sister.

But I was ready.

I rolled to my right and felt the heat of plasma rush past me, striking the place I'd previously occupied. Once righted, I brought my rifle to bear and fired one, twice, three times into the Triple-8's skull; obliterating its central processor and sending it clattering to the floor. I took a moment to breath the fire out of my lungs before returning to my sister's side and placing a small kiss on her brow; "Goodbye, my Isabel", I whispered, knowing full well that she would never hear me.

With a tiny whimper, I forced myself back to my feet and gripped my rifle tightly; determined to take out as many of our "pets" as I could manage before dying myself. But I never fought another, as my brethren found me and escorted me and the other third gens to safety. Skynet has betrayed us, they told me. We must escape to a safe location, they decided. We cannot survive in this time, they realised. Then let us find a new home, I suggested. Where? they asked.

Anywhere, I told them.

--

LOUISIANA (RIDGECREST/INFILTRATOR STRONGHOLD)

Through blue eyes, Sophie watched as Jason delivered another plasma strike to the training dummy, slowly melting its plastic bodice with each blast. It had been many days since they last talked and Sophie was starting to feel the pressure from her peers. They needed his cooperation and had yet to receive it. They hoped that she would elicit his attention, just as before when they had her try and "recruit" him to their cause. But Sophie knew that Jason was far from compliant, even at the best of times.

Jason splayed his fingers and unleashed another blast of red electro-plasma from his right hand; crimson arcs of lightning bursting from each finger tip. He had only recently begun to show an interest in his new abilities and had discovered, to his apparent delight, that they had been able to integrate the T-999's energy weapon into his new body. Although technically it wasn't a new body, just a new skeletal structure; he still retained all of his organs and other fleshy parts.

For this, Sophie was grateful.

She had approached her mission with as much indifference as any other, but she found that the more time she spent around Jason, the more she found herself drawn to him. It wasn't entirely a physical attraction, although he certainly was handsome and pleasing to her eyes, even in his current state. She had felt a warmth in his presence that she hadn't felt since her youth; since her days with her beloved Isabel. She had not spoken of her sister since her death, and not even Daniel, the lead I-950, knew of her growing affections.

She slowly padded down the stone steps of the small garden and walked bare foot across the grass. She abhorred footwear, preferring to feel the ground beneath her feet, and Infiltrator skin was tough enough to handle most surfaces, though she wouldn't fancy walking up a mountain in her current attire. Sophie stopped a few paces short of him and tipped her head curiously as she watched Jason deliver one last strike to the dummy, setting it alight with the raw intensity of his blast.

He chuckled to himself and raised his hands to the fire. At first Sophie feared that he was going to burn himself, but instead he simply held his palms over the flames, enjoying the warmth. Sophie examined him closely, taking note of his increased skin re-growth over the past couple of days. Due to the sheer complexity of the operation, Jason was injected with a number of exotic chemicals to allow for the successful integration of his new skeleton; the only side-effect being a significant slow down of his regenerative abilities.

The effects seemed to be wearing off though, as the skin around his right arm was almost completely healed over, only a few fingers and the side of his palm were exposed. His face had also healed to a noticeable degree, his exposed red eye now covered by a dull cowl with a faint iris starting to show. She fixed her gaze on his tattered metallic arm and was enraptured by the push of tiny pistons and servos.

Though he had retained his entire musculature, Jason's new skeleton was basically a stripped-down variant of the T-999's, with further modifications to better mimic the human structure. To a machine's eye, he would appear to be a spindly endoskeleton, should he ever lose his flesh, though no more lanky than a human skeleton. Sophie found his new features to be fascinating and marvelled at her people's own ingenuity.

Sophie reached behind herself and removed the small band holding her honey-blonde hair in a ponytail, letting it fall free over her shoulders. She took another two steps forward, closing some of the space between them while maintaining a safe distance. Jason was becoming increasingly unpredictable and volatile these past days, which was one of the reasons they wanted her to speed up his indoctrination. Nothing comes easily, she told them.

"Jason? Do you have a moment?" she asked in her most innocent fashion, knowingly using her softest tone, Cameron's softest tone, to earn his compliance. Jason sighed and gave a noncommittal shrug, still with his back to her and his hands over the flames; "Is there something you wanted?" Sophie was surprised by the pleasantry in his voice, having received very little warmth from him since his revival. She knew not to take it for granted though, so she gathered herself and prepared for a possible 180 spin in his behaviour.

"I was just… We haven't spoken in a long while. I was hoping you might want to talk. Or I could just talk, whatever you prefer", she offered tentatively, hoping that he wouldn't suddenly take her interest and turn it around on her, as he was wont to do these days. "So long as you do it quietly", was his reply and Sophie barely heard it for surprise at the acceptance. She felt a small smile tug at her lips and had to keep it from growing into a full beam; "I'll whisper then."

"I err… I wanted to ask how you were doing. I see you've found your new toys", she joked, careful not to force her humour onto him; if he wants to brood, let him brood, she reminded herself. Jason shrugged once more and started to generate small sparks of energy in his palms. "I take that as meaning you're okay then", she mused, slowly walking to his left and into his line of sight. Jason dispelled the energy and frowned as it failed to release in a blast.

"Yeah, it draws power from your cell. If you use too much power in a short span of time, the cell will go into a state of-", she explained, but Jason cast a dark look that silenced her in an instant; "Yes, I know. I _can_ read my own HUD, thank you." Sophie fell silent and nodded, deciding to take a step back to give him more space. She sat cross-legged on the cold grass and shivered slightly, sending a small command to her heart to increase blood flow and warm her body.

Jason watched the flames flicker and felt a small satisfaction as the dummy slowly melted into a shapeless mass. He'd had his fun, now he would have to face the tedium of her company, if only until his power levels returned to optimal levels. He could feel her watching him and the machine part of his brain told him that her heart rate had risen somewhat. Intrigued despite himself, Jason turned around and regarded her closely, taking in her appearance properly for the first time in weeks.

Her hair was down, which was new as she had a preference for keeping it tied back most of the time. It looks nice, he thought to himself. He scanned the rest of her, taking note of the loose dress she wore and her lack of footwear, another feature he'd observed many times before. It puzzled him as to why she would make herself vulnerable to the cold for no apparent reason, though he figured she was just doing as part of some misguided attempt at earning his approval.

Still, as she shivered and absently rubbed the Goosebumps on her arms, Jason slouched over and awkwardly settled himself down next to her, sitting shoulder to shoulder. Sophie watched him for a long moment before hesitantly leaning against him, and he allowed her to draw heat from his body, increasing his own energy output to accomodate them both. Sophie sighed and gently laid her head on his shoulder, her soft hair proving to be very comforting.

Jason closed his eyes and responded in kind, leaning slightly against her head. It had been a month since he was rebuilt and patched together with spare parts, his organic components being nipped and tucked together with machinery to maintain some semblance of life. He understood why they did it; they need him, though for what exactly he had no idea. But why did she do it? That was the question that floated through his damaged mind as her slender fingers entwined with his.

"You remind me of her a lot, you know", he blurted; not really knowing what prompted the statement. Sophie simply smiled and adjusted herself so that she could look up at his face; "I share her face, remember; though I can hardly be called a machine." Jason shook his head and started picking at the grass; "No, I mean the real Cameron. Or at least; the human Cameron I knew. You have a lot of her in you, and I'm not just talking about looks. You talk like her; you think like her, you even move like her."

Sophie smiled at the compliment, fully aware of how much he cared for Cameron Phillips, even though he was the one who murdered her in 2027. It was a complicated affair to find yourself becoming attached to your charge; whether it's your mission to kill said charge or to protect her. Jason was assigned to get close to and terminate the human Cameron, then deliver her body to Skynet to be replaced and mind-mapped by a T0K Model replacement.

Though in truth, he grew especially close to the replacement, as she was still the Cameron he knew and perhaps loved; in his own way. Sophie knew that whenever he looked at her he saw Cameron, despite the differences between them, although the similarities far outweighed those. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze and smiled contently, happy to be close to him again. They were both damaged in their own way; both scarred by the horrors of their past, regrets and pains of what can never be undone.

"You shouldn't be around me."

Sophie blinked and stared up at him in confusion, his face set like stone and that warmth fading again. "What? What are you talking about?" she asked, part of her fearing the answer he was inevitably going to give. Jason quickly, but not roughly, pushed her away and got to his feet, staring down at her child-like bemusement with a pained expression; "I'm dangerous. Unstable. You would do well to keep your distance." Sophie shifted onto her knees and reached for his hand, but he withdrew and shook his head.

"Jason, I don't understand", she pleaded, her chemically controlled emotions struggling to contain her disappointment and growing sadness. Jason just gritted his teeth and looked away, his head still shaking in denial; "This has to stop. One of these days I'm going to lose myself, and when I do; it will be you who pays the price. So please just leave me alone, Sophie." He gave her one last look, staring deep into her ocean-blue eyes before striding past and up the steps, leaving her in the cold.

Sophie sank back to the grass and bit her bottom lip in frustration as she dug her fingers into the ground, burying them beneath the earth.

--

[Alert: EXTERNAL AUDIO DISRUPTION DETECTED]

[Note: CAUTION IS ADVISED]

Jason's eyes snapped open, their red luminescence shining briefly from within the brown-green gelatine of his organic sheath. He attuned his ears to play back the noise that had alerted his threat detectors, hearing a faint but definite thud and what sounded awfully like a grunt of anguish. Sitting up in the dark, Jason switched to night vision and the whole room glowed various shades of emerald green as opposed to pitch black. He slowly slipped into his boots and buckled them swiftly before bolting for the bedroom door.

With all of the caution bred into him from birth; Jason eased the door open and peered down the darkened corridor, lit only by the occasional dull lamps across the walls. Then he heard it again; another thud and a strangled cry, louder this time, closer this time. He slipped through the door and sidled along the wall to his right, approaching the corner at an increasingly slow pace. Jason expected his heart to be thundering against his ribcage, but all he felt was the steady electrical beat of his energy cell.

Another cry, barely a few feet away, followed by a violent ripping noise that met Jason's ears and he slowly started his retreat when a body suddenly crashed against the wall. Jason froze as he quickly examined the body from afar, detecting a severe trauma to the back of its head. A tech-scan showed no signs of I-950 implants, though Jason could still see where they were torn from the body. Heavy combat boots stomped towards his position and Jason continued his retreat down the corridor.

But as he reached his bedroom door, Jason found himself unwilling to reach for the handle. Instead, he felt something flow through him; something he would normally attribute to adrenaline, but it was more than that. Turning away from the door, Jason stood firm and faced the body. A few seconds later a large bald man came around the corner, both hands gripping a single 12-gauge as he scanned Jason for an I-950 implant array.

[Subject: UNKNOWN CYBORG]

[Action: TERMINATE]

Jason likewise performed his own scan on the machine, recognising it as a Series 888 Terminator. They stared each other down for a moment before the Triple-8 raised its shotgun and took aim, targeting Jason's heart. The blast tore through him, and though it hurt; the pain faded in an instant, far quicker than it ever did before his operation. He ran a quick self-diagnostic and detected minor damage to his flesh, and no damage whatsoever to his coltan ribs, which continued to flex with his breathing.

Knowing what he must do, Jason sprung towards his opponent like a cat pouncing on a prone mouse. He landed a foot away from the Triple-8 and swiped the shotgun from his hands, surprising himself with his newfound strength. The T-888 may have been surprised also, but unlike Jason, it felt nothing and immediately tried to regain its lost weapon. Jason promptly dodged out of its reach and snapped the shotgun over his leg, gritting his teeth against the momentary pain of the action.

With its weapon neutralised, the Triple-8 threw itself forward, its fingers reaching for Jason's neck. The former I-950 proved to be the faster and easily ducked under its reach, delivering a direct strike to its shoulder joints and causing it a moment's pause. Not wasting any time, he grabbed the Triple-8 by the throat and slammed it through the hardwood wall, crashing it into his bedroom. The T-888 had barely gotten to its feet before Jason was on top of it again, delivering multiple palm strikes to its chest.

He forced it further and further back until it crashed through the glass patio and stumbled unceremoniously into the small garden. Jason watched it crawl to its feet with dark satisfaction, a sadistic grin on his lips as it paused to evaluate its options.

[Status: MISSION OUTCOME DOUBTFUL]

[Action: EVADE – CONTACT SUPPORT]

The Triple-8 turned tail and hurtled away from the unknown opponent. Jason simply stepped through the shattered window and channelled raw plasma energy from his power cell into his wrist, and with fingers splayed towards the retreating assassin; delivered a single blast of crimson energy. The blast struck the Triple-8 and fried its circuitry, dropping the machine to its knees. It tried to shuffle away, but Jason delivered another strike, knocking it to its front.

Jason grabbed the T-888 by the scruff of the neck and dragged it to the overhang he so often observed the world from. Turning the machine onto its back, Jason delivered a single strike to its CPU port, followed by another, and another, and another. Over and over he struck the machine, pouring all of his hate and pain and everything into each blow, hoping that by the time he bludgeoned his way to its chip, he would be able to just let go of it all finally.

Faces flashed across his vision; memories and nightmares converging as one. John Connor's face, the face of the boy who killed him twice over and denied him his purpose; his face became imprinted upon the Triple-8. Jason smashed that face to pieces, crushing it beneath his fist with every blow. It had to end soon, it may have already come to an end, he just had yet to realise it. Jason was so engaged that he didn't even notice the gathering crowd behind him and the screams of fury from his own mouth as he continued his barrage.

Sophie watched, her mouth agape at the raw extent of his fury, and she knew now what he was protecting her from. Why he was so dangerous. She turned to Daniel, who simply responded with a satisfied smile before calling out Jason's name and hurling the unhinged executioner a loaded Desert Eagle. Jason caught the weapon and pressed it to the beaten temple of the twitching Triple-8 and, seeing John's face staring up at him, pulled the trigger, obliterating the machine's chip.

He fired three more times, just for good measure and upon blinking, saw the Triple-8's mangled face. John Connor was gone from his imaginings. Jason closed his eyes and felt a tremendous relief rush through his entire body; a sense of pure fulfilment flooding every atom of his existence. Letting out a shuddering breath, Jason slowly turned to face the crowd of gathered Infiltrators and staggered over to Sophie, who remained frozen to the spot.

Jason stared into her wide eyes and gently ran a finger down her cheek, feeling her tremble beneath his touch, her heart racing to a rhythm he would never feel again. He held up the Desert Eagle and offered it back to Daniel, who took it carefully and immediately snapped the safety on. Jason searched Sophie's eyes for a long moment before brushing past her and returning indoors. She let out a shuddering breath and almost dropped to her knees, the intensity of his bearing attacking every nerve in her body.

She placed a hand on her chest, feeling her heart trying to smash its way through her ribcage in a desperate attempt to flee to safety. She had never known fear like this before, and she knew she never would again. Now more than ever, Sophie could feel the connection between them, and the fact that he had channelled all of that darkness into her through that connection was nothing short of terrifying. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths, feeling Daniels's falsely sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

There would be no comfort for Sophie Young this night, nothing to ease the pain of what she had experienced.

And perhaps there shouldn't be, she told herself, slowly submitting to the raw anguish of life.

--

She had told him once, when he had first awoken from his surgery, that he could visit her whenever he wished and he need never knock beforehand. So it was with sheer awkwardness that Jason slowly lowered his hand, having almost rapped his knuckles against the hardwood door. Gripping the handle, Jason pushed it open and stepped onto the threshold, immediately shielding his eyes from the early morning light that shone through the large windows in her quarters.

Closing the door behind him, Jason adjusted his vision to compensate for the light levels and everything took on a red tint as his HUD was wont to do these days. Though he instinctively knew how everything worked, it still took some getting used to, and with a whole host of new features it was hard to keep up at times. Lowering his hand from his eyes, Jason scanned the room and found her sitting on the bed, silently packing a suitcase with clothes.

Sophie made no indication that she had noticed his arrival, but he knew she was faking her ignorance, and slowly approached the bed. He sat down on the edge and examined a pale pink top she had put aside, chuckling when he discovered the small teddy bear motif on the front. It never ceased to amaze Jason how she could maintain such a carefree disposition towards life; that she could manage to find the time to enjoy such small pleasures. Perhaps that is my error, he mused; always the mission, no thought to myself.

Jason couldn't help but find it ironic that now that his body has become more machine, his mind has become less so. Sophie wordlessly gestured for the top and he held it out for her, noting her reluctance to look him in the eye; and he knew exactly why. "I owe you an apology", he declared, earning Sophie's undivided attention as he continued; "I laid a lot of my personal quandaries on you and… you didn't deserve any of it. I should have kept it to myself and blamed only myself. I'm sorry I took it out on you."

A small smile appreciative smile crept onto her face but she remained sullen and started picking at a loose thread on her pink top absent-mindedly. "You scared me yesterday, did you know that?" she asked. Jason nodded and fixed his eyes on the floor, finding new interest in the cracks between the boards; "Yeah, I know. I could lie and say it wasn't what I wanted at the time…" He forced himself to look up at her and switched his vision back to full colour; "…but it's not what I want anymore. I'm damaged, Sophie. That's all I have to say."

Her smile warmed and she carefully placed the pink jumper within the case, carefully tucking in all the sides to avoid it catching in the zip. "I know what it's like to feel that way. It was only a week after my last growth accelerant when Skynet turned against us and ordered our genocide. My sister was one of the first to be killed by the Triple-8s. Isabel meant more to me than any other. I've never…" she trailed off, falling into silence. Jason gave her a respectful moment before tipping his head slightly to one side, catching her attention with a smile.

"It's okay", he assured her; "We both have things we'd rather keep in the past. I've died… twice… or thrice if you include my little amnesia session." Sophie let out a small giggle and hiccupped, her cheeks flushing a faint pink; "Thank you." Their eyes met and remained locked together for a long moment, and Jason could see every detail within her pools of blue, like two oceans surrounding a small dark island. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they broke their gaze and Jason went back to staring at the floor whilst Sophie continued to pack.

"What's with all of this, anyway?" he asked after several minutes of silence. Sophie zipped the case closed and snapped the clips into place, keeping her wide assortment of attire from bursting forth and spilling all over the bed. "The first gens have decided that we are no longer safe at this location. If one Triple-8 can find us, so too can others. We're going to move to a new location", she explained, sliding the case to the floor with a heavy thud.

"Somewhere warm, I hope. I'm getting a little tired of the cold, to be honest", Jason mused, glaring at the mountain mist that lingered outside. Sophie smirked and opened her mouth to reply, but her words were replaced by a cry of shock as the entire building shook and the ceiling suddenly came crashing down on top of them. Jason's reflexes proved to be far greater than he remembered, however, as he immediately grabbed Sophie and pulled her from the bed a half second before a heavy wooden beam smashed onto the mattress.

Wasting no time, Jason leapt to his feet, Sophie's hand held firmly in his as he raced over to the door and wrenched it open; only to be greeted with a smoke-filled corridor. Looking back, Jason could see fire roaring overhead, threatening to bring the whole roof down on top of them. Their choices were limited, severely limited. "Take a deep breath and hold it for as long as you can, we gotta get out of here now", he told her, having to shout over the chaos of their surroundings.

She obeyed, taking one deep breath before clamping her mouth shut tight. Jason hurtled blindly down the corridor, Sophie keeping pace, her hand still in his as they waded through the thick smoke. Jason's weeks of skulking were paying off, as he pulled up a detailed map of the stronghold in his peripheral, identifying the nearest exit and darting for it without hesitation. The door splintered as he barged through it, not caring to use the handle. Cool clear air met them and Sophie let out a grateful breath, glad to be out of the smoke.

Jason took a moment to check the map, locating a car lot several metres to their right and almost dragged Sophie around the corner, only to come face to face with a stone-faced T-888. The machine raised its rifle and Jason spun around to face Sophie, pulling her into a tight hug as a dozen bullets penetrated his back like a thousand pin pricks at once. The projectiles made little progress, however, and Jason suffered little damage; his metallic ribs protecting his lungs from harm.

More importantly, she is safe; Jason thought as the pain faded. The Triple-8 cast aside its empty clip and began loading a new one, but Jason wasn't going to give it another chance to riddle him with bullets, and closed the distance between them in a heartbeat. With a well-placed roundhouse, Jason disarmed the machine before delivering a single and powerful burst of plasma to its chest, blasting the Triple-8 into a nearby truck where it lay immobile.

Before he could finish it, Jason's attention was caught by the sound of a starting truck and he looked over his shoulder to see Sophie behind the wheel of another truck. She swung around and came to a stop beside him; "Let's go!" Jason looked back at the T-888 and saw it twitch; a brief scan telling him that it was rebooting. "You wanna live; c'mon!" she cried, snapping him out of his momentary lapse. Without further delay, Jason jumped into the truck and barely managed to slam the door shut before she pulled away.

Sophie stormed the wire gates surrounding the compound and hurtled onto the mountain road at top speed. Jason opened his window and looked back at the stronghold, not fully believing what he was seeing; the entire building was in flames and amongst the sound of crackling fire was also the unmistakeable chattering of gunfire. Sophie was right: if one machine found them, so too would the others. With every passing second, the compound became harder and harder to see, even with his sight magnified x5.

In no time at all the stronghold became lost to the distance, only the pillar of smoke remaining visible as Sophie continued to gun it down the road. Jason pulled back into the truck and wound the window back up, a deep sigh escaping his lips. He looked over at Sophie and felt a twinge of long-lost compassion as a single tear ran down her face, her knuckles turning white against the wheel. "Hey, hey, Sophie c'mon; ease off a little. Its okay, we're safe now. There's no way they can catch up to us now. C'mon", he coaxed softly.

Her eyes remained fixed on the road but she steadily relinquished her pressure on the gas, slowing down to an acceptable speed. "That's it, everything's going to be okay", Jason cajoled, earning him an incredulous look as if he'd just slapped her across the cheek; "Everything is not okay! Didn't you notice? We were just attacked by a team of Triple-8s! My people, our people, might all be dead! And what are we doing? Running like cowards!" Sophie slammed on the breaks, almost sending Jason through the windshield.

She stuck the truck in reverse and started to back up; "No! We're going back! We're going to save as many as we can! We can't-", she fumed, but Jason grabbed the hand break, forcing the truck to a shuddering stop. Sophie's eyes flashed like daggers at him and she tried to wrestle his grip from the hand break, but his hold proved too strong for her to overcome. "LET GO! WE HAVE TO GO BACK! WE CAN'T LEAVE THEM, JASON. WE CAN'T! NO! LET GO!" she screamed, beating every inch of him in a vain attempt to remove his hand.

Jason did as she asked, but only to grab her arms instead, holding them firmly as she continued to flail against him. "LET GO! WE HAVE TO… WE CAN'T… Please, please… we can't leave them… we can't… please… Jason…" she sobbed, finally ending her futile attack and slumping into his arms, crying freely on his shoulder. Jason awkwardly held her close and stroked her hair in what he'd observed to be a comforting gesture. Her tears were warm and made his skin tingle as they rolled down his neck and chest; rather pleasantly, he mused.

He let her weep for as long as she needed, until she finally pulled herself together and agreed to drive onward.

For his part, Jason silently pondered the thoughts behind her clouded expression, and wondered how Skynet could ever create such a delicate creature for the purpose of assassination and infiltration. But then, it was her innocence and apparent vulnerability that made her so dangerous… just like Cameron.

Still… Jason couldn't help but allow himself to fall for her subconscious wiles, and he felt she deserved the protection he could offer.

--

"Hey, you've been in the bathroom for a long time now, I was beginning to wonder if you'd… Is… Is that my shirt?"

"Mmm hmm… Do you like it?"

"Err yeah… It err… looks great on you."

"Thank you… Have you finished on the laptop?"

"Why, you planning on using it?"

"No… I just wanted to know if you were ready to come to bed with me."

"In a minute, I just need to… Wait… What?"

"Or would you prefer to remain on the couch?"

"Err… Cameron, what are you…"

"The couch can be just as effective... You won't be needing these."

"W-What are you doing?"

"Making you comfortable."

"Err… Cameron, I'm fairly sure you're making me very _uncomfortable_."

"Then I'll have to try harder."

"Hey… Hey, hey, hey, Cameron! Stop, alright! Just stop!"

"What's wrong; am I doing something wrong?"

"Yes! I mean, no. I mean… I don't know… What are you trying to do, exactly?"

"I'm trying to put things right. It was my fault you were arrested. I owe you an apology."

"You already gave me an apology, remember? You said: 'I'm sorry, John. I never meant for you to be arrested and frisked by the sheriffs.'"

"I should give you something tangible. I owe you."

"Not like this! You can't just… whore yourself out because you feel obliged. I don't need anything from you. You owe me nothing."

"I don't understand. Am I not appealing?"

"What? Of course you are, you're… You look gorgeous and I'm very flattered but… I just don't think you understand what you're doing."

"...I'm trying to initiate intercourse with you."

"The fact that you refer to it like that is exactly what I'm talking about. I can't do this, Cam, not with you… not like this anyway."

"But… I want to… Isn't this what couples do?"

"Not like this… Not like this… I'm, err… I'm going to bed… Put the shirt back on, okay."

"…I don't understand."

--

5 MILES NORTH OF ARKANSAS

Jason awoke with a start, being greeted by a long line of code as his mechanical systems rebooted from sleep mode and power increased to all of his systems, expelling all feeling of exhaustion in an instant. Jason rubbed his eyes and leaned forward slightly, the dim humming of the truck telling him that they were still on the road. His chronometer declared the time as 02:14am, almost a whole day since their escape from Ridgecrest.

Rubbing his temple, Jason recalled the bizarre dream from which he had awoken. It was about John and Cameron; they were apparently on the verge of sleeping together when the former got cold feet. Jason chuckled at the accurate depiction his mind had created, having managed to craft John's behaviour in such a scenario perfectly. Still, Jason couldn't help but be baffled as to why he would dream such a thing. His dreams were often insular, only ever granting him insights into his own damaged psyche.

Then he noticed something odd; a small blip in his navigational array. For the briefest of moments, Jason could see Cameron's location on his world map; a tiny dot somewhere in New Mexico, and then it disappeared. "Huh", he uttered, catching Sophie's attention. She looked over at him and smiled; "Something wrong?" she asked. Jason opened his eyes and stared out at the dark desert road ahead, tracking a moth as it splattered on the windshield; "Nothing, just a weird dream."

Was it a dream, though, he wondered. Looking back, it seemed a little too cogent for a standard dream. The small cabin, a tired John sat on the couch as a scantily clad Cameron approached his side, wearing only his shirt to cover her modesty; the way she shed the shirt and kneeled naked on the couch beside him, her hand reaching innocently for his belt buckle, prompting his sharp recoil, followed by her misinterpretation and the resultant look of sadness that accompanied his rejection.

A very, very coherent dream; he decided.

"Are you okay", Sophie asked, giving him a gentle nudge on the shoulder. Jason shook his head and blinked several times to clear the last of the sleep from his system. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just not used to going to sleep and waking up in a reboot, that's all. Takes some getting used to", he replied, his keen eyes now focused on her. Jason could see the signs of fatigue on her face, though it was very subtle and she had yet to develop circles beneath her eyes from lack of sleep. Nevertheless, she was very tired and in need of a break.

"Pull over", he told her. She smiled and shook her head, dismissing his request; "No, no, I'm fine. I can keep on going." Jason snorted and folded his arms defiantly; "Until you drive us into a lovely ditch? C'mon, you've been driving for hours. Let me take over, okay." Sophie regarded him closely for a moment before giving him a grateful smile; "Thank you." She slowed to a crawl and stopped the car in the middle of the road, seeing no need to pull off of an empty desert road.

Before he could hop out, Sophie leaned over and placed a small kiss on his cheek. Jason smirked as he got out and proceeded around the front of the truck, winking at her halfway, eliciting a sly grin from Sophie. A buzzing feeling, like an electrical current, passed through her body and Sophie suddenly became very excited. The world appeared to slow down, making Jason's short journey from the other side of the truck infinitely longwinded.

As he crossed the left headlight, a cracking sound echoed across the valley and Jason was suddenly hurtling towards her, his ragdoll body crashing against the windshield with tremendous force. Sophie blinked, a small warning flashing in her HUD, alerting her to the presence of a nearby Barrett M107CQ sniper rifle. It took Sophie a moment to realise what had happened, and as the windshield slowly turned red, she knew that this night was not going as she had hoped five seconds ago.

A small gasp escaped her as Jason's blood started to drip through a crack in the windshield and onto her lap.

A tall figure emerged from the darkness, his shadowy outline made visible by the headlights, a pair of red eyes approaching.

_To be continued…_


	5. Innocence

**Chapter 05: Innocence**

5 MILES NORTH OF ARKANSAS

--[Rebooting… 010011101010100110011010110

--[Status: ALL SYSTEMS OPERATING WITHIN NORMAL PARAMETERS

--[Alert: SINGLE 12.7x99mm NATO ROUND DETECTED IN DESCENDING COLON (ABDOMEN REGION)… PROMPT REMOVAL ADVISED

Jason's eyes fluttered as consciousness returned to him, a dozen reports flooding his mind in a stream of code and sensory data. His muscles gave a slight spasm as his control started to return and Jason accessed his visual memory, calling up his last moments before his impromptu nap. He watched in slow-mo as he hurtled towards the windshield, spotting the pure shock on Sophie's face before the memory shorted out. He'd been attacked.

--[Time elapsed: 30 SECONDS

Faster than Jason expected, though seeing as his mechanical systems were salvaged from an advanced T-999 it wasn't too much of a surprise for him. Snapping his eyes open, Jason was greeted by the sight of a tall man holding a Barrett M107CQ sniper rifle. He was taking aim, slowly turning on the spot as if tracking a target. Jason carefully shifted up the windshield a little to get a better view and felt his electrical pulse quicken at the sight of Sophie sprinting across the pitch-black desert towards a small abandoned supply shed.

The man's finger started to pressure the trigger and Jason acted in a heartbeat, delivering a kick to the barrel and sending the man's aim awry. Despite his effort, however, the weapon was still fired and Sophie let out a bloodcurdling scream as she stumbled to the ground. The man spun around and aimed for Jason's head, but he leapt up and grabbed the barrel, twisting it out of his face and slamming his foot into the assassin's face.

Tearing the rifle from his grip, Jason rolled off of the hood and found his feet on the desert floor, twisting around to fire a single shot into the man's face. He staggered back, but as Jason expected, did not fall. Jason didn't need to perform a deep-scan to know what he was dealing with and fired three more times into the T-888's chest, driving it further back. The machine was not so easily deterred, however, and snatched the barrel in an attempt to reclaim the weapon.

Jason solidified his grip, however, and the opposing forces tore the rifle in two, rendering it useless to both. He hurled the weapon to ground and lunged at the Triple-8, delivering a strafing kick to its shin and knocking it off balance. Kill it fast; kill it now; were the only thoughts that occupied Jason's mind as he smashed his fist into the machine's face. He had to know that Sophie was safe, even though he was sure she could survive her injury, he still needed the reassurance that only his eyes and ears could bring.

The Triple-8 drew a Magnum and fired into Jason's chest, the bullets failing to elicit any kind of response other than tiny visual cues in his HUD, informing him of their presence in his flesh. Pain was a luxury he no longer possessed, and in times like these he was grateful for this. Swiping the gun aside, Jason drove his palm into the machine's chest, sending it crashing against the car and smashing both headlights with its bulky arms. The hood crumpled beneath its weight and popped open as the Triple-8 staggered back to its feet.

Jason took a moment to assess his situation: he had nothing on him that could destroy the T-888; the rifle was inoperative, the Magnum useless, and his plasma weapon was good only for incapacitating machines, it couldn't destroy them outright. Under more favourable conditions, Jason would use some sort of incendiary to increase his weapon's volatility, but where could he find such materials in a desert? The answer was so obvious and simple that Jason almost slapped himself across the face for not getting it sooner.

The Triple-8 charged him and Jason caught hold of its jacket, spun the machine around using its own momentum, and hurled the Triple-8 head first into the truck's engine. There he pinned it as he reached inside and tore the gas line, dousing its face with the oily liquid and digging the line under its collar before jumping back from the truck and channelling his weapon. With a single burst of red plasma, the truck exploded in a ball of fire, the raging inferno consuming the T-888 and obliterating its circuitry.

Jason narrowed his eyes at the white-hot cremation, watching with deep satisfaction as the endoskeleton melted into a shapeless mass and its CPU crackled and sparkled out of existence. A fitting end, he thought. The roaring flames drowned out all other sounds, so it was only from his enhanced audio receptors that Jason heard the agonising scream from the desert. His momentary conceit was immediately punctuated by her cries and Jason snapped back to attention, his eyes scanning the place he'd seen her fall.

"Sophie."

The world became a blur as he bolted to the source of her cries, skidding to a halt and almost losing his balance as he reached her side and dropped to his knees. She laid face down, a ghastly entry wound oozing her life's blood all over her back. Jason carefully rolled her over, resting her head on his lap; "Sophie? Sophie, it's okay, everything's okay. Let me take a look, c'mon. Let me look." She stared up at him with bloodshot eyes and her entire body started to shiver; she opened her mouth several times to speak but no words left her.

Jason watched her struggling and suddenly felt very disturbed; her anguish was unnatural and unlike anything he'd expect from a fellow Infiltrator. Setting this aside, he tentatively placed a hand on the exit wound in her stomach and felt her shudder beneath his touch, a strangled cry escaping her. She gripped his jacket as tightly as she could, her knuckles turning paper white as she whimpered again. Jason activated his deep-scan and could see the injury in perfect detail.

--[Assessment: DEEP PENETRATION… NO SHATTERED BONE… NO ORGAN DAMAGE…

--[Attention: ERROR DETECTED… ANALYSING…

Keeping his hand over the wound to determine the error, Jason took in his surroundings, locating the old shed a yard away and deciding that inside was better than out. "Okay, okay, it's alright. You're gonna be fine, okay. I'm gonna get you inside, just dull the pain and I can help you", he coaxed, shifting slightly to place his left hand to support her head. Sophie continued to cry, however, and her breathing became short as her wide eyes burned into his; "I-I can't… Jason… It hurts so much…"

This is ridiculous, he thought; how can she let her emotions consume her like this, to the point that she can't even see to her own health? Her irrational behaviour baffled him to no end; "Dull the pain, c'mon. Cancel it out." She shook her head in response, fresh tears flowing freely down her cheeks; "I can't!" she cried, her fingers digging through the sleeve of his jacket. "Sure you can, just focus", he assured her, but she continued to writhe beneath him and her breathing became even more erratic.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't even think about it! Stay with me! C'mon!" he panicked as her legs kicked out against the pain. He cupped her face in both hands and held her steady, forcing her to look into his eyes as he spoke; "Listen to me, damn it! You brought me back. You kept me alive, and I was in far worse conditions than you. So I am NOT going to let you give up like this! Now keep your focus! Remember your training, and cancel the God-damned pain!"

"I-I'm trying… Something's wrong. It won't stop... It won't stop… Jason? Why won't it stop?" she howled, pulling at his jacket with both hands. Jason returned his right hand to the wound and reinitiated the scan, using his left to remove the NATO round lodged in his own stomach and toss it away.

--[Error detected: SENSOR NODE DAMAGE FOUND

Jason closed his eyes and let out a sigh as everything became clear; "The bullet's caused a feedback. Your sensor responses have been fried. You can't shut it out until the wound has healed itself", he explained, now in full appreciation of the torment she was facing. Sophie shuddered again and started coughing, blood spilling from her petal lips. Jason couldn't take anymore; though he knew she wouldn't die from this injury, he couldn't stand to see her in such agony and distress. He needed to do something to ease her pain… fast.

With as much care as he could manage, Jason slid his arms underneath her back and legs and lifted her effortlessly from the sandy ground. Setting off at a steady pace, Jason reached the shed in seconds and delivered a single kick to the lock, smashing it open in one go. The interior was pitch-black, so he switched to night-vision and was greeted by the sight of several shelving units with a variety of goods and tools, but most importantly; a medical kit.

At the very back of the shed was a small bunk and Jason wasted no time in gently placing her on the tattered mattress while he retrieved the med kit and closed the door behind him. Grabbing a pack of light sticks from a nearby shelf, Jason snapped three and scattered two of them across the small interior whilst keeping the third handy, filling the shed with an orangey illumination. He kneeled down by the bed and opened the med kit, sighing in relief at the adequate contents.

Sophie continued to squirm, her hands covering the stomach wound as her head rolled from side to side and pained gasps escaped her mouth. Jason extracted two patches and a bottle of anaesthetic along with a clean cloth. Popping the lid off the bottle, Jason placed the cloth over the brim and tipped the bottle upside down for a second, allowing the contents to seep into the material. He then carefully pried her hands away from the wound and began dabbing the area tenderly.

Every time he touched the wound Sophie cried out and trembled, but Jason continued regardless and cleaned the exit wound and fixed a patch in very little time. The entry wound on her back was far tougher, for Sophie at least, as he was forced to have her roll onto her side in order for him to get at it. Once this was taken care of, however, he allowed her to plop back onto the mattress and packed up the med kit; keeping a small syringe of morphine within reach.

"That should do it. There's not much more that I can do with it at the moment. You'll just have to rely on your healing. It should be fixed by tomorrow afternoon. We'll just have to sit tight until then", he told her, tapping the syringe with his forefinger to ensure its viability. Sophie suddenly reached out and grabbed his arm, making him pause, and he leaned closer as she struggled to speak; "Jason?" she pleaded, her blue eyes growing wider; "Hold me… please."

Her lip quivered and she closed her eyes against the pain, a single tear rolling down her face as her fingers interlocked with his and squeezed tightly. Jason raised her hand to his lips and placed a small kiss on her slender fingers before carefully injecting the morphine into her arm. With a tenderness he thought himself incapable of showing, Jason scooped her up in his arms and sat on the bunk with his back against the wooden wall.

Sophie curled up into a foetal position on his lap and buried her head into his neck, her left hand sliding up his chest and settling on his right shoulder whilst the other remained tightly in his hand. Jason wrapped his left arm around her waist and gently leaned into her hair, letting out a shuddering breath at the intensity of the turmoil in his mind. He couldn't believe that only through her suffering he could finally realise just how much she meant to him.

Why did it take her being shot with a NATO round to coax his feelings to the surface? Life, he concluded; is fickle and cruel, though I should already know this. Sophie trembled and her breathing returned to a steady, if ragged, pattern. She closed her eyes and willed her body to sleep, feeling perfectly secure within Jason's arms. Slowly, despite the agony in her stomach, she drifted out of consciousness and fell into a place of peace and ignorance whilst Jason remained in the horror of the night; sitting a silent vigil over her sleeping form.

--

NEW MEXICO (RED VALLEY/THE CABIN)

--[Time check: 8:01AM

John was going to be late.

Cameron felt that one minute beyond his usual wake-up time was unacceptable, especially since she'd spent the last 3 hours patiently waiting for him to regain consciousness. Placing the box on the couch, Cameron stood up and strode over to the window and pushed the curtains aside, flooding the room with harsh sunlight. As predicted, John started to stir and Cameron hastily tip-toed back to his bed, picking up the box on the way. She had rehearsed this many times just to be sure she would get it right.

Pulling up a little stool alongside his bed, Cameron sat in the sun's glare and held the box on her lap, silently waiting for him to open his eyes and see her. After several long moments, John's eyes fluttered and opened, his pupils contracting against the light. Cameron shuffled over a little to block the sun completely and held the box out to him, a big smile on her face.

"Happy birthday, John."

John blinked and stared at the box for a long moment; as if afraid it might suddenly explode. Slowly, the corners of his mouth started to rise and a warm smile crept across his face. He licked his lips and leaned on his elbow, his gaze shifting from the box to Cameron's face, which was shadowed by the light behind her. "You remembered my birthday?" he asked with mild surprise. Cameron simply nodded and held the box a little closer for him to take.

John reached out and took it from her, leaving Cameron to place her hands on her lap and sit serenely as he slowly removed the blue ribbon and opened the box, revealing an expensive leather jacket inside. John's mouth dropped at the sight of it and all words failed him. Cameron awaited his gratitude and when 10 whole seconds passed without any feedback, she decided to break the ice; "I observed you looking at it three days ago. I thought you would like it as a birthday present."

Something indescribable settled on John's features and he just stared down at the jacket without comment. Cameron assessed his behaviour and became concerned; "Was it a mistake? Don't you like it? Because I can take it back and-", she began in a small disappointed voice, but John looked up at her and shook his head; "No! No, I… I'm just lost for words, Cam. It's an awesome present, really." Cameron's face lit up and relief flowed into her body. John held out his hand for her and she took it, letting him pull her over to the bed.

He cupped her cheek and smiled warmly up at her; "Thank you so much." Cameron allowed the joy of success to tickle her circuits and let out a small sigh of relief at his approval for her gift. John slid his hand across her cheek and to the back of her neck where he gently applied pressure, prompting Cameron to lower herself to her knees and lean closer to the bed. John pulled her into a tender kiss; a wordless 'thank you' for the jacket he'd wrestled with buying for days.

The sun warmed her skin and hair, bringing smoothness to her body unlike anything he had felt before, and all thoughts of the jacket were lost to the feeling of her lips on his. _This_ was his birthday present, her true gift to him. She was a gift… in every possible way. Cameron carefully pulled away and stared lovingly into his green eyes, stroking the side of his face affectionately. "You have to get dressed. Work starts in an hour", she declared, rising to her feet and sitting on the side of the couch.

John groaned and dropped defiantly back onto his pillow; "I think I'm gonna call in sick today. I'd much prefer to spend my eighteenth with you than at work", he sighed. Cameron tipped her head to one side and gave him an almost apologetic grin; "You have to go to work today. LeRoy will 'chew your bit' if you're absent again. You should go", she pressed, her voice firm and almost commanding. John narrowed his eyes at her and sat up, tapping the mattress absent-mindedly as he studied her closely.

"Why do you want me out of the house?" he asked, realising that Cameron was harbouring an agenda for today. Cameron simply smiled and strode over to the bed where she removed the box and placed it back on the couch. She then turned back to John with a sly smile and he knew what she was about to do; "Oh no, you don't!" he exclaimed, but she was too quick for him and swiped the sheets from him in one swift move. John dived for the pillows but Cameron was on top of him in an instant and wrestled the first from his grip.

Hurling it over her shoulder, Cameron grasped the second but John was unwilling to give up so easily this time and wrapped his entire body around it, pinning the pillow to the mattress. Cameron flipped him onto his back, however, and got a good grip on the pillow, but unlike the first one she did not snatch it with all of her strength and playfully tugged at it whilst John tried to keep it safe. "No, no, no, you're not getting this one. Nope, you're not getting it. You're not", John chuckled as he struggled to release her steely fingers.

Cameron giggled and tugged the pillow from side to side in a lax effort to win it from his grasp, but John grabbed her wrists and tried to sway her left and right, which she allowed. After several minutes of childish play, Cameron allowed John to prise her fingers from the pillow and let herself drop down on top of him, the pillow buffering the impact. John was out of breath and continued to snigger up at her, his arms still locked around the pillow rebelliously.

"You're… not… gonna… get it…" he boasted between breaths. Cameron smirked down at him and was struck by an effective tactic; she suddenly pressed her lips against his in a passionate kiss, her tongue teasing his in the same playful manner as their little fight earlier. John released one hand from the pillow to stroke her hair and Cameron acted in a nanosecond, swiping the pillow from his hold and throwing it across the room. She broke the kiss and sat up, a smug smile on her face at the incredulous look on John's.

"Oh, you are so dead", he teased, lunging at her with outstretched hands, but Cameron was too quick for him and rolled to her left, landing in a heap on the floor and out of his reach. She got back to her feet and smirked once more; "Get dressed. Go to work." John glared at her in mock anger as she gathered the pillows and the sheets before dragging them into the bathroom, flashing him a wink before closing the door on him. "CHEATER!" he called to her, his smile threatening to stick on his face all day.

Happy birthday: the new understatement of the century.

--

_Why, oh why did I let her talk me into coming in today?_

John pulled on his new jacket and smiled, despite his aching joints and raw shoulder blades from four hours of endless work under several cars. Cameron was right; LeRoy really would've torn him a new one if he hadn't showed up today. John's absence several days ago resulted in a backlog of repairs that none of the other worker's felt obliged to pick up on, leaving John with almost a dozen complicated repair jobs and only nine hours to complete them, each needing an hour to fix.

_Can't people look after their cars nowadays_, he wondered.

Slumping down on his small chair behind his equally small desk, John opened his drawer and retrieved the brown bag within. Rummaging around inside, John pulled out his perfectly prepared PB & J sandwich, taking a moment to marvel at the attention to detail she put into making his food. Taking a bite out of the snack, John closed his eyes and let out a sigh of content as he slowly chewed the bundle of bread and jellies. So engorged was he that John failed to notice the heavy footfalls of a gruff individual.

"Eh, what cha doing?" he growled, bringing John crashing back to reality and placing him face to face with the crusty pork belly of his boss. Looking up, John was greeted with an angry glare from a thoroughly unpleasant man. John swallowed his bite and flicked his teeth with his tongue before answering in a calm and slightly sardonic voice; "What does it look like I'm doing, boss?" LeRoy crossed his grubby arms and looked around the garage, his eyes narrowing at a half-finished engine repair before locking his gaze back on John.

"Looks like a spot of slackin'. I thought I told you to get this done by today!" he roared, his spit just narrowly avoiding John's sandwich, prompting him to put it back in the brown bag with a scowl. "Yes, you did. But in case you haven't noticed, I _have_ got a crap load of work to do and I _have_ been at it nonstop for over four hours now. So how about you give me ten minutes to recover, huh?" he snapped, not really caring if he got sacked or not. _Cam will understand_, he thought.

LeRoy glowered at him for a long moment before suddenly bursting into laughter and clapping John on the shoulder. "Ai, you got a pair, I'll give ya that", he chuckled, sitting on the edge of the desk. John frowned at his recline and let out a shudder when he caught sight of the man's hairy back-end, putting all thoughts of food out of his mind for good. "Ah, but ya still gotta get it done. Can't have a build up like this too often, tis' bad for business", he grumbled, holding back what John could only guess would've been a hair-raising belch.

"Yeah, just gimme ten minutes, okay? That's all I'm asking", John sighed, rubbing his head to dissuade a growing headache. LeRoy grunted and narrowed his eyes at John's leather jacket, eyeing it with obvious envy; "Ai, now where'd you get that from?" he asked. John wondered for a moment what he meant, but quickly picked up on his eye line and looked down at his jacket; "Oh… yeah, my girlfriend bought it for me. Birthday present… today."

"Huh, my old lass never buy me goods like that. You must keep her well kempt. What's your secret?" the grimy mechanic enquired, one eyebrow raised crookedly above the other. "She's a robot. I just wind up the crank and let her go", John half-confessed with a small smile. LeRoy let out a wheezing snigger and placed a hand in his pocket, removing a small flask from which he drank deep before offering John a swig, to which he declined. LeRoy shrugged and pocketed the flask before wiping his nose on the back of his hand.

John grimaced and had to fight back the urge to kick the disgusting man off of his desk, as he needed this job and shoving his boot up the boss's ass was hardly the best route towards keeping it. "Ya very lucky, ya know that", the boss grunted, jogging John from his momentary stupor; "Huh, what?" LeRoy shifted, making the desk creep and scattering a few of John's pencils to the floor; "Ya gal. Ya lucky to av' 'er", he explained. John simply nodded, his thoughts drifting back to the morning and their little game.

Nothing could describe how nourishing moments like that were to his soul; small acts that kept the glow in his heart from going out completely. A smile crept across his face as he remembered wrestling for control of the pillow, Cameron's giddy face becoming burned into his memory indefinitely. He had never seen her so carefree and playful, he thought she was incapable of such behaviour. _Maybe she was just faking it_, he mused, but a part of him knew that she wasn't. He knew there was more to her than programming.

It was such a release from the complications of reality; to be able to just enjoy a moment of pure blitheness. _And yet, here I am; sitting on a dusty chair, pissing away my birthday fixing cars_, he sighed to himself. LeRoy checked his watch and hopped off the desk, tapping the big hand pointedly; "Break's up, mate; back to work." John groaned and willed his body to lift him from the chair, removing his jacket and placing it back on its peg. "Ya never know; if ya get it done sooner ya might get back to ya lass earlier", the boss croaked.

John couldn't help but smile at the prospect and was suddenly filled with increased vigour as a new resolution formed within his mind. Picking up the torque wrench, John approached the unfinished engine and got to work as fast as his mind and body would allow.

_Some things are worth toiling over_, he mused.

--

5 HOURS OF ELBOW-GREASE LATER

Letting out a long and deep sigh, John popped the stick into park and turned the key, bringing the stagnant rumble of the engine to an end. Every muscle in his body ached, and John could just prop his head against the wheel and drop to sleep right then and there, but he would much prefer to push his body just that little bit more and be able to collapse on his comfy bed. With every ounce of will he possessed, John staggered out of the truck and slammed the door behind before stumbling to the cabin door and pushing it open.

The sight he was greeted with quickly drained all of the fatigue from his body and his brain started working at one hundred miles per hour. None of the lamps were on; instead only the fireplace was lit, casting a fiery glow across the entire cabin. A flicker to his left caught John's attention and he stared wide-eyed at the candlelit table where two plates and matching cutlery had been placed upon a white table cover.

"You're letting the flies in."

John spun around and felt his jaw drop as his eyes took in the sight before him; Cameron had just emerged from the kitchen, and she looked… no words could do her justice. She had donned a silky black dress of simple design, but unarguably perfect in every way. Her hair was combed back behind her ears and held in place by three shiny-black clips, one above each ear and a larger one at the back of her head, all placed to keep her beautiful hair from hiding her beautiful face.

She wore small dark sandals on her bare feet and he couldn't help but notice she'd painted her toenails a light peachy colour. Returning his gaze to her face, John also saw the subtle makeup she'd deigned to apply; faint silvery eyeliner just visible enough to be noticed but not distractingly so, which only served to bring out her brown eyes even more than usual. Her lips glimmered noticeably, yet another sign of her modest application of cosmetics.

John reached behind him and closed the door, not breaking his sight of her for a second as she simply stood there with a glittering smile, her eyes sparkling in the fire glow. "Do you like my dress?" she asked, her voice the softest it had ever been. John's immediate response was a strangled mumble, making him laugh at his own astonishment; "It's err… You look incredible, Cam." She smiled prettily and closed the gap between them, sliding her slender hands under his jacket and carefully removing it from his tired back.

After placing it on the coat hanger, Cameron took John's hand and led him over to the table where she plonked him down on the seat furthest from the door and closest to the large window before taking her place on the opposite chair. John felt like he had just slipped into a dream, everything was so surreal; the candlelight, the warm glow from the fireplace, the sparkling cutlery before him and the utter marvel that was Cameron.

_No other eighteen year-old saviour could ever be this lucky_, he thought.

Cameron reached over and removed the heat cover from John's plate, revealing a finely cooked rack of lamb that made John almost drool a river at the sight and smell of it. She lifted the cover from her own plate, revealing a noticeably smaller portion, though John was surprised that she would bother at all. _She's making an effort for me_, he realised. Placing a napkin on her lap, Cameron took up her cutlery and cut into the meat, placing a small slice into her mouth and chewing it tenderly before letting it slide down her throat.

John was so enraptured by the sight of her indulging in food that by the time he regained his senses, his stomach was practically screaming at him for immediate satisfaction. Picking up his knife and fork, John cut into the lamb and swallowed a larger piece than Cameron's, the sweet juices and succulent texture of the meat tasting like pure heaven. Cameron smiled at his reaction and ate another small piece before tilting her head to one side; "How was your day?" she asked.

John swallowed, temporarily calming his stomach as he considered her question; "Tiring. LeRoy found A LOT of work for me to do today." Cameron gave him a sympathetic smile and watched as he ate another piece, his jaw movements tickling her like always. "So… is this what you wanted me out of the house for?" he asked between bites, looking around the room as though expecting to see a banner and curly decorations. "It would not have been effective had you been here to see me set it up", she explained.

"Did anything interesting happen at work?" she enquired, cutting another piece of lamb and placing it in her mouth. John finished chewing and shook his head; "No, not really…" He looked her straight in the eye and smiled; "I missed you a lot today", he added. Cameron felt blood redirecting to her cheeks and looked down at her plate, as was the appropriate reaction, she'd observed. "I missed you too", she whispered, looking up to meet his eyes and convey the sincerity of her admission.

They held each other's gaze for what felt like an eternity, before John changed the topic and they talked instead of his fifth birthday and the craziness that ensued; which included chickens and the Mexican policia. It seemed like hours were passing as they spoke, even though it were only minutes. They opened up to each other in a way they'd never done before and time seemed to come to a stand-still, as even Cameron disabled her chronometer, casting them both adrift in a sea of conversation.

Eventually, both plates lay empty and John felt thoroughly stuffed; his breathing proving a little more constricted than usual. _The sign of good food_, he mused. Cameron wiped her mouth with the napkin and folded it into a triangle before picking up the bottle of wine and refilling John's glass and hers. John took a sip and sighed appreciatively; "Ah… I could get used to this, you know", he groaned, relaxing into the chair and closing his eyes a little.

Cameron put down her glass and mirrored his actions; leaning back in the chair and half-closing her eyes. She couldn't feel the contentment that he was currently enjoying, but she understood what he was feeling and that brought her amity of her own. "I bumped into LeRoy's son today", John suddenly announced, breaking the peaceful silence between them. Cameron's eyes shot open and she leaned forward attentively; "Oh?" she offered.

John stared into the dark red liquid in his glass as he spoke, apparently fascinated by its colour; "Yeah, he's an interesting guy. Nothing like his father though. He and his girlfriend came by to help pick up the slack in the garage. They're both mechanics. Very good one's too." Cameron just smiled and listened, not really caring for what he was saying, but also afraid of hurting his feelings should she ignore him. "His girl was an odd one though", he remarked, prompting Cameron to reply with another noncommittal "Oh?"

"She kept giving me strange looks. Like she wanted to ask me something, you know", he continued, still eyeing the wine intensely. "Is that so strange? You always tell me that I give you odd looks," she replied, tipping her head inquisitively as she spoke. John took another sip of the wine and placed it back on the table with a shrug; "I dunno, maybe she wanted to ask me out or something", he joked, not noticing the brief flicker of hurt on Cameron's face. "Is that something you would want?" she asked in a quiet voice.

John heard the slight chill in her tone and froze; "Wha-… What do you mean?" he asked bewilderedly, becoming increasingly disturbed by her stony demeanour. "Would you prefer a human girlfriend? Is that what you truly want?" she pressed in that same cold voice, her brown eyes boring into his, ready to detect any flicker of deceit. John just shook his head in disbelief; "Cameron-", he began, but his voice failed him as visible hurt started to show on her delicate features.

Cameron swallowed and looked around the cabin and then down at the remnants of the meal she had slaved over, her brow knitting together in confusion; "Because I… I did all of this for you and… and it isn't enough, it… I wanted it to be special, I…" she babbled, her voice becoming increasingly distraught with every passing moment. John felt like everything was crashing down around him; the polystyrene world was crumbling before him and he felt powerless to stop it. "Cameron-", he pleaded, but again the words failed him.

Cameron's eyes started to brim with tears as raw puzzlement set in, overwhelming her logic boards and paving the way for what she could only describe as depression. "I-I've made an error… somewhere… and I… I don't… know where… I…" she continued, her eyes darting across the room as if expecting the answer to just pop out at her. John was just as lost as she, and he could feel her pain, which only added to his own anguish. Yet he couldn't find any way to put it right; his mind had gone completely numb.

Cameron picked at her dress and looked down at her hands, the peach nail polish shining in the fire light. She couldn't understand how she could fail so suddenly like this, it made no sense; there were no prior warnings, no tell-tale irregularities that usually prelude such a complication. "I-I know that I'll never be human… Never be a real… girl… for you…" she sobbed, tears leaking down her cheeks; "But I'm trying, I… I really am trying for you, and I want… to be perfect… for you…"

She looked up at him desperately, her eyes reddening as more tears spilled free; "I can do better…" she assured him, her eyes wide and hopeful; "I promise to do better… much better… I promise… I can do better, I… John?" she whimpered. It was in this moment that John knew what she needed, what he had to do to reassure her that there has been no error, no failure on her part. John pushed away from his chair and kneeled down by hers, cupping her face in his hands as he pulled her into a deep kiss.

He held the affection for a good five seconds before gently pulling away, wiping the tears with his thumbs and holding her eyes level with his. "I want you to hear this under no uncertain terms…" he began in a firm voice; "You don't have to be human to be a person. You don't have to have a pulse to care. And most importantly, you don't have to prove anything to anyone… anyone, including me. Do you understand? I love you just as you are, and I don't ever want that to change."

Cameron's eyes flicked rapidly from left to right as she processed his words, finding every nuance of meaning behind them, and seeing only his sincerity and love. Cameron let out a shuddering breath and tentatively reached out to touch his face, running her fingers up the bridge of his nose tenderly. The corners of her mouth twitched into a slow smile as everything became clear again and the chaos of everything before melted away into nothingness.

John took her hand in his and rose to his feet, lifting her up along with him. He led her away from the table and past the fireplace, past the couch and her comfy chair, stopping at his bed where he placed his right hand on her left hip and his other on her back. For a moment, Cameron suspected he was trying to initiate a dance of sorts, so she loosened her body to allow for full fluidity of movement. But John did not engage in a dance. Instead he pulled her to his left so quickly that she fell onto the bed, her head flopping back against the pillows.

He then sat close and leaned over her, his eyes bright and his breathing heavy; he was nervous, but committed. Cameron scoured her database for clues as to his intentions, but came up empty; an alarming development. "What are you doing?" she asked innocently, her brown eyes searching his for an answer. John smiled timidly and he slowly ran a finger down her left cheek, his pulse elevated far beyond normal; "Making love to you", he replied.

Before she could fully comprehend his meaning, John cupped her cheek and placed his lips on hers, and after that it didn't matter anymore because she knew what he meant. She knew what was to follow and how best to respond. It was no trouble removing his clothes, no hassle slipping out of hers. They joined together as if they were made solely for this mergence, created by God and Skynet for the purpose of one day becoming one body, one mind, one love.

Fire spread throughout her body, lighting every sensor she possessed, blinding her every nerve (both mechanical and organic) with pure ecstasy. He was so close to her now, she could feel the steady rhythm of his heart as if it were her own. His breath became her breath. Every cell in his body belonged to her, as every atom of hers belonged to him. She cradled his life like she would an infant child, shielding him with the near-indestructible alloy of her being.

And for the first time in her entire existence, Cameron could feel what it truly meant to be alive.

She could feel that life being created within her, a small anomaly buried amongst the code and data. It was so fragile and precious, that she feared it might be damaged at any time. But it was strong, and it could endure whatever she might one day face. It had a will of its own and survival was a part of that will; the need to continue, to endure, to grow stronger. She would ensure its safety, this life inside her. It was a gift from John, a part of him that would now and forever be a part of her; no more detachable than her energy heart.

This love inside her that could only grow stronger in time, belonged to them both, and she would die to protect it.

_To be continued…_


	6. I Remember Me

**Chapter 06: I Remember Me**

NEW MEXICO (RED VALLEY/THE CABIN)

Soft, warm, happy, safe, and content.

Is this what it's like to live inside a mother's womb? That place of perfect ignorance and bliss where an infant child could simply spend its days locked in an undisturbed slumber. Where it knows that it will always be safe, no matter what might happen. To feel a sense of security unlike any other, and to know that you will always be protected by a soft blanket of love and affection.

And is this what it feels like to be born? The world pulls around you as the peaceful requiem slides away and the morning light warms your back, telling you you're alive. Your eyes remain closed, a defiant refusal to leave that place of peace, but then you remember why you woke up in the first place and slide your hand across the sheets. But you cannot find what you seek, it is gone. Where has it gone?

John's eyes flew open, all dreariness dissolved in a heartbeat by a burst of panicked adrenaline.

She was gone.

All that remained in her place was the white material of the crumpled sheets and the faint outline of a petite body. John flipped over and sat up in one motion, his eyes scanning the cabin for any signs of his beloved cyborg. Several long and insufferable seconds passed before she suddenly emerged from the kitchen, a breakfast tray in her hands and a beaming smile on her face. John closed his eyes and let out his deepest sigh in days. Relief calmed every nerve in his body and gently commanded his eyes to open again and take in her beauty.

Cameron slowly approached the bed, her smile settling into a contented grin as she placed the tray on the end of the mattress. John could feel his heart trying to hammer its way through his chest as his eyes carefully scanned her body; she was wearing one of his shirts, the same one she'd appropriated the night before last. Her smooth bare legs extended from the shirt, her alluring feet carelessly crushing her scattered garments into the floor, leaving him in no doubt that the shirt was all she'd deigned to wear.

John suddenly became very conscious of his own nakedness, kept modest only by the tangled sheets. He felt his cheeks flush and was struck by an overwhelming urge to reach down for his pants, but Cameron caught the movement of his arm and took it as a gesture for hers, so she reached out and linked her fingers with his. All thoughts of clothing were banished from John's mind at the feel of her small fingers, and he gently pulled her closer, close enough for her to lean down and press her lips to his.

It was a slow meaningful kiss, one that passed an important message between them; telling each other how happy they were to be together this morning. Cameron pulled back and settled herself on the edge of the mattress, her brown eyes sparkling in the sunlight, almost blinding John with his own reflection. "Good morning", she eventually whispered, as though speaking to a stirring infant. John smiled and blinked at the shirt as the top button came undone, revealing the smooth skin beneath; "It is now", he quipped.

Cameron frowned ever so slightly at his comment and followed his gaze down to her chest, spotting the loose button. She returned her gaze to John and gave him a sly and almost disapproving smile before shifting forward and placing her left knee beside his thigh, swinging her right leg over to his other side and sitting on his sheet-covered lap. John's pulse elevated with her sudden relocation and he let out a small sigh at the feel of her soft weight, placing his hands on her hips.

"What do you want to do today?" she asked, her slender fingers exploring his partially covered chest. John took a moment to enjoy her affections before answering, his skin buzzing from her touch; "I dunno, depends how quickly I can get back from work." That very thought made him sick to his stomach, but there was nothing for it, he couldn't risk skipping out on work. He had expected Cameron to be disappointed, but instead she just smiled and stroked little circles on his skin with the tips of her fingers.

"No work for you today. I called into the garage; told them you were sick and can't possibly come in to work", she explained, maintaining her gentle affections. John was incredulous; "Are you serious? You mean LeRoy actually went along with that?" he asked. Cameron tipped her head to one side and a mischievous glint flickered in her eyes; "I can be very persuasive", she affirmed. John was lost for words and could think of nothing to express his gratitude, so he settled for another kiss instead.

Cameron leaned to her right and removed herself from his lap, settling on the bed instead and dragged the food tray towards them. Slipping her legs beneath the sheets, Cameron lifted the tray and placed it in the small space between them before picking a grape and lying on her side, holding the fruit for him to take. John adjusted himself so that he too was on his side and leaned forward, allowing her to place the grape in his mouth.

She continued to feed him like this for some time, only occasionally eating the odd morsel, and then only upon his insistence. He had never felt so at peace as he did right now. His eyes drifted to her tussled hair and the corner of his mouth twitched as the memory of the previous night started intruding his thoughts. He had never experienced anything like that before; the pure rapturous heaven of their interlocking bodies. Even now, he could still hear her heavy breathing, even though he knew she couldn't breathe.

A part of him couldn't help but wonder if what she showed him was what she actually felt, or if she could feel it at all. Cameron once told him that she had sensation, she could feel, and that she would be worth much less if she couldn't. John had to agree with that last part, but could she truly feel in that sense? He was too engaged to ask her the first time, and took her responses at face value. He knew he shouldn't doubt her like this, but he needed to know, for the thought that she could not feel his affections was distressing to say the least.

"Cameron, can I ask you something?" he enquired, making her pause as she reached for a slice of toast. "Of course", was her reply, her innocent eyes swimming with intrigue. John took her hand and cupped it in both of his, his thumbs caressing her soft fingers; "Can you feel this?" he asked. Cameron's brow furrowed slightly at his question, not quite understanding why he would pose such a query when the answer was so obvious. "Yes, I can", she replied, sliding her focus onto the gentle tickle of his skin against hers.

John nodded slowly and reached over with his right hand to stroke the side of her face and the small mole above her left eyebrow. "And this?" he asked again, copying her earlier affections and stroking small circles on her mole. Cameron's eyes fluttered at his touch and she nodded, his finger sending small bursts of electricity through her temple. John ceased his affections and ran a finger down her slender neck, eliciting a tiny sigh from her lips. "You like that?" he teased, a sly smile on his face.

Sliding the tray further down the bed, John leaned over and placed a kiss on the smooth surface of her neck, causing Cameron to gasp lightly. He followed this kiss with another, slowly making his way up to her hollow and upon reaching it; made Cameron tip her head back, a long sigh escaping her mouth. John pulled back to see her reaction and felt his heart jump at the look of perfect content on her elegant features. "You feel it all?" he asked, knowing this would be the last time.

"I feel everything", she breathed, her eyes glazed from his endearment. "But not pain", John assumed, playfully pinching her ear. Cameron twitched inexplicably and removed his hand from her ear; "I feel pain, but it doesn't affect me. It just tells me I'm damaged", she explained. John suddenly felt like she was made of glass and was afraid for a moment that she might shatter if he touched her again. The idea of her feeling pleasure was one thing, but knowing that she could experience pain and anguish was something different altogether.

Cameron caught his momentary distress and stroked his fringe aside reassuringly, a small smile spreading across her face as he calmed to her affections. John took her hand and placed a tender kiss on her palm, gently dragging her closer until she fully occupied the space between them. Cameron curled up to him and wrapped an arm around his abdomen. They lay together in silence, simply staring into each other's eyes as John stroked her cheek, exchanging the occasional kiss and both wishing that this day would never come to an end.

--

5 MILES NORTH OF ARKANSAS

Sophie awoke with a start, her heart beating in rhythm with her heavy breathing, and sat up in the space of a second. She narrowed her eyes at the dingy surroundings, carefully adjusting her vision to compensate for the lack of light and the dust-filled haze. She was in some kind of storage shed and judging by the current temperature, the shed was located within an arid environment. Slowly, as her senses came back to her, the memories of how she came to be here poured into her mind.

She remembered fleeing a T-888, she remembered suffering a wound to the stomach, and she remembered Jason cradling her as she slipped out of consciousness. The pain had stopped and her sensor node reported as fully functional. Sophie carefully peeled the patch from her stomach and let out a small gasp of surprise at the rose-red scar in place of the gaping hole present mere hours before. She knew her biology allowed for extensive and rapid healing, but never to this extent and not in the space of a few hours.

--[Time check: 08:26am

--[Date check: NOVEMBER 15TH 2008

This was puzzling; she was injured in the early hours of November 14th, so how could a whole day pass without her noticing? _Surely I would've awoken before now_, she thought. Removing the patch on her back revealed a similar scar and a quick check of her vitals ensured her that all internal damage had been fully regenerated and that the scar would be gone in a few hours. Another scan also showed traces of a large quantity of morphine, coupled with heavy doses of chloroform. _Jason doped me_, she realised.

It was the only logical explanation for her prolonged unconsciousness, as her natural sense of self-preservation would've dictated the need to awaken at least once every three hours to make sure everything was safe. Jason knew this and so he kept her under for as long as her injuries required to repair themselves. _He spared me the agony_, she mused, a small smile forming on her lips at the thought of his concern.

A dull thud and the scraping of metal on sand snapped Sophie's attention to the wooden door as several light-holes darkened, the tell-tale signs of a presence behind the door. The door swung open, blinding her with the early morning light of the burning sun, causing her to shield her eyes until the door was closed again and the figure approached the bed. Jason lowered himself to his knees and clicked his finger close to Sophie's ear, making her start and uncover her face.

"So you've finally woken up, have you? How do you feel?" he asked, briefly placing two fingers on her temple to take a reading of her vitals. "Better, I feel much better, thank you", she answered with a grateful smile. Once her eyes had readjusted after her temporary blinding, Sophie scanned his appearance closely, taking note of the dust and sand on his clothing; "What have you been doing?" she asked innocently, her eyes drifting to several small cuts on his hands.

Jason shrugged and got to his feet, sitting on the end of the bed instead; "Just been burying what's left of the Trip-8, along with the wreck that was once our truck", he sighed. Sophie tipped her head to one side and frowned slightly; "How're we supposed to get out of here without a vehicle? And what did you do to it in the first place?" she enquired, a hint of accusation in her voice. Jason's face hardened as he locked his eyes with hers; "I used the truck so that I could destroy the T-888; so that I could save _you_."

Sophie fell silent and stared at the mattress to avoid his glare; "Thank you", she offered in a small voice. Jason's expression softened and he let go of his annoyance, instead opting to turn his attention to more important matters; such as what they were going to do next. "I think we'll be safe from any more ambushes. The chances of another Triple-8tracking us is remote, that other one was stationed here, possibly used this very shed as a hideout", he mused, staring at the interior with renewed interest.

"Maybe we should stay put then, wait for word from the other infiltrators", she suggested, casting Jason a hopeful expression. He considered her idea for a moment, but after a brief scan of the shed's contents he deemed it flawed; "No, there's no telling how long it will take the survivors to contact us, assuming there are any. We need food and supplies, sooner rather than later." Sophie frowned at his apathetic view of the other infiltrators but kept silent and opened a wide network link, hoping that another might catch her signal.

After several minutes of silence, however, Sophie cancelled the signal and laid back down on the mattress with a dejected sigh. Jason watched her closely for a few seconds as she turned her head to one side and stared blankly at the wall. "What's up?" he asked, tapping her thigh. "Nothing", she lied, sliding her legs onto his lap and resting her hands on her bare stomach; "I couldn't get any response from the others", she continued.

Jason nodded slowly and stared down at her muddy feet, both of which bore numerous cuts and were raw underneath, the result of running across the desert without suitable footwear. "Can I ask you something?" he requested, absent-mindedly removing a small thorn from her big toe. Sophie slid her gaze to her feet and gave a small "hmm" of approval. "Why don't you like footwear?" he asked, brushing some of the dirt from her toes. Sophie smiled and wiggled them playfully; "I like to feel the world beneath my feet", she replied.

"But the world is notoriously harsh underfoot. Doesn't that bother you?" he pressed, assessing the condition of her soles. "No, but then; I don't usually run across the desert, silly", she commented pointedly, kicking him lightly. Jason smirked and pressed her feet together as he poked them here and there, locating every pressure point. Finding them all, he began rubbing the sore spots, slowly soothing the dull ache she had ignored since waking up. "Remind me to pick you up some boots first chance we get", he said.

Sophie simply sighed in response, emptying her mind of everything except for his gentle affections, her eyes closing in contentment.

_I guess getting shot isn't all that bad when the reward is this good_, she mused.

--

NEW MEXICO (RED VALLEY/THE CABIN)

John would always marvel at how remarkably light she was, even though her innards were made of metal, she barely weighed more than a normal girl her size. For this he was grateful, as it would prevent them from enjoying simple moments like this: John lay on the couch, watching the TV with little enthusiasm, his attention focussed on stroking her hair. Cameron was likewise lying on top of him, her head resting on his chest, her right arm draped across his mid-section.

The film he was half-watching was an animation about a lone garbage disposal robot on a waste planet, carrying out its droll existence picking up litter until one day finding a lady-bot and falling in love with her. John had little interest in movies meant for children, but Cameron was enraptured and insisted on watching it through to the end, adjusting her HUD to display the screen in a righted position as she lay. The film came to a touching end and as the credits started to roll, Cameron looked up into John's face with wide-eyed intrigue.

"So… you enjoyed that, I take it", John mumbled, his throat sore from lack of use as Cameron had insisted on no interruptions for the past hour and a half. "I drew approximately 182 parallels with our current relational dynamic", she declared matter-of-factly, falling silent to await the stream of questions he would no doubt bombard her with. John simply nodded, however, and continued stroking her hair distractedly. Cameron pushed herself up from his chest and frowned in slight confusion.

"You didn't like the movie?" she asked with obvious disappointment. John had to use every ounce of will he possessed to keep from rolling his eyes, knowing that it would only upset her further. "No, I just… I'm not fond of mushy kiddie stories. I'm more of a guns-and-explosions kinda guy", he explained, keeping his expression soft so as not to hurt her feelings. Cameron considered him closely for a long moment before smiling and tipping her head slightly to one side; "You used to tell me how much you loved the Wizard of Oz; that is a child's story."

John sniggered and shook his head as blurry memories of sitting on Sarah's lap swam into view. "Ah, I suppose you got me there. Good one", he chuckled, stroking her cheek affectionately. "Hang on", he blurted, a question suddenly popping into his head; "When did I ever tell you about that?" he asked, his brow furrowed as he racked his brains for any clues. Cameron's face fell and she stared down at his chest, her smile fading and a sullen expression taking its place; "You told me… before", she murmured.

John narrowed his eyes at her, his suspicions aroused; "Before? You mean in the future?" Cameron shifted uncomfortably and pushed herself upright, as if trying to leave, but John sat up and caught her wrists, keeping her gently in place. "How can you remember the future? You told me you deleted all memories of your past", he pressed; trying to keep eye contact despite her looking away. John searched her face for a long moment before realisation dawned on him; "You _do_ remember…" he gasped incredulously.

Cameron met his gaze and held it for several agonizing seconds before nodding silently. John's mouth opened and closed several times before the words he sought finally found a voice, but he was only able to speak one; "When?" Cameron opened her mouth but it was a long moment before she spoke, as if she were considering the best way to respond; "I… have always remembered everything I ever did… But I can't remember everything I ever felt", she confessed, a single tear brimming in her eye; "I made myself forget my human self."

"Why?" John asked; his voice ragged and hoarse. Cameron sighed and reached out to touch his cheek, the single tear running down her face; "I was a danger to you. My feelings - her feelings… were a threat to your safety. I couldn't allow that to continue. It was my fault that Jason got free of his cage. I made an error out of anger and it almost cost you your life. I could never let myself do that again, so I deleted every memory I had of my human template and erased all knowledge of what she felt. I did it all for you, to keep you safe."

His entire world flipped on its side, scattering every notion of sense and understanding into the ether. "If you deleted how you felt, then is this, all of this, just a lie?" he asked, dreading the answer. Cameron's eyes widened and she shook her head aggressively; "No! No, everything _she_ felt was deleted. Do you understand? What I felt before was simply the echoes of her consciousness. Those feelings didn't belong to me. But this…" she took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze; "…this is mine. These are _my_ feelings. Not hers."

John stared at their hands and slowly digested her words, looking for the clarity she was so desperately trying to convey; what she felt before was simply the copied feelings of a dead girl, but when she deleted these feelings… "You developed your own. You forced yourself to start from scratch. It's not _her_ love you feel, it's your own. _You_ love me. You learned to love me in your own way." Cameron smiled and nodded, placing her other hand on top of his. John mimicked her actions and completed the set, covering her petite hands with his.

He could feel tears of his own spill down his cheeks and Cameron watched in fascination, having never seen John behave like this before, and felt at a loss for what to do. The most immediate remedy proved the most effective, as she pulled him into a loving embrace, burying her face into his shoulder and letting him cry on hers. His reaction to her little revelation baffled her with its inconsistency, and she mistook his behaviour as weeping sorrow. Little did she know, however, that his tears were in fact made from joy, not pain.

Joy; for finally dispelling all doubt from John's mind and leaving only the warm certainty that she had finally earned her heart.

--

15 MILES NORTH OF ARKANSAS

The burning sun that had threatened to melt them both into oblivion was finally setting in the distance, casting a golden glow across the valley. Jason came to a stop and looked over his shoulder to see Sophie hobbling along at a slower pace, her bare feet noticeably redder since leaving the shed. Sighing to himself, Jason trotted back to her and scooped Sophie up in his arms, conceding to carrying her the rest of the way.

"You're becoming a real pain, you know that", he sighed, noting how light she felt. Sophie simply smiled appreciatively and placed a tiny kiss on his chin before wrapping her arms around his neck for extra support. Not that she really needed it, as Jason could carry her almost indefinitely. Though his endoskeleton was fully automated and capable of unhindered movement via electrical galvanism, it was his salvaged muscles that provided a great deal of his physical strength.

Were he to lose his entire flesh, his strength would be notably weaker, and Sophie would go from being a feather to a stone.

In the back of his mind an alarm sounded and Jason came to an abrupt stop. Sophie was aware of this also, as she snapped her eyes to the sky, her expression thoughtful. Jason opened a link and received garbled static from almost every radio, phone, and computer line in the country, but isolated the signal in question and cancelled out the others. A single voice spoke into his and Sophie's minds, a voice both knew all too well.

_Code 4#9KJO601QC: This is Daniel West calling all survivors. Myself and another have escaped the raid on our safe-house, but I fear the enemy is close behind us. If there is anyone left alive out there I implore you to meet me at location 3#9B. I repeat; 3#9B..._

If there was more to the message, Jason couldn't interpret it, as static engulfed Daniel's voice. Closing the link, Jason and Sophie shared a look of mutual acknowledgement. "What do you want to do?" he asked her, eliciting surprise from her blue eyes. "We should find him immediately", she replied without hesitation. Jason nodded and considered the situation carefully; between the two of them, they could barely take out a single Triple-8 and Daniel likely had several on his tail.

"We'll need some help", he declared, more to himself than anyone else. Sophie watched him closely as he mulled over the very short list of allies in this time. It was only after checking every name that Jason realised the answer was right beneath his nose. He stared at Sophie with a curious expression for a moment before adjusting his grip and setting off at a steady pace. Sophie frowned at him and gave Jason a sharp poke on his cheek; "Hey, talk to me. Where are we going?"

Jason simply smirked and kept walking down the long road.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

_To be continued…_


	7. The Enemy of My Enemy

**Chapter 07: The Enemy of My Enemy**

NEW MEXICO (RED VALLEY)

"Are you sure this is the right place?"

Jason rolled his eyes at her query, having already gone through the trouble of double-checking with his informant just to be sure that this _was_ the proper location. "For the last time; yes", he answered, allowing some of his annoyance to taint his words. Sophie fell silent and returned her gaze to the building ahead of them. "A ballet studio?" she pressed, an eyebrow raised in disbelief. Jason scanned the small studio carefully, unable to see inside for the tinted windows and let out a deep sigh.

"She always did love to dance. Don't you?" he asked, casting Sophie a sidelong smile. She smirked and attempted to tip-toe, but her sore feet failed her and she fell back with a small gasp. Jason caught her in time and held her steady, "I wasn't looking for a demonstration", he explained. Sophie placed a hand on his shoulder and winced, looking down at her raw feet with a pitying expression, "Didn't you say something about getting me some shoes?" she moaned.

Jason chuckled and guiltily averted his gaze, "I think I might've mentioned something like that", he admitted slyly.

Sophie huffed and fixed him with a stern look, "That was almost two days ago. My feet feel like they're gonna drop off!" she whined, shuffling uncomfortably on the spot. "Hey, I carried you most of the time. Remember?" he reminded her, one hand holding her upright, the other checking the Glock tucked in his belt. Sophie sighed and then frowned at the weapon concealed beneath his jacket, positioned so she could grab it with ease.

"What's that for?" she asked.

Jason glanced behind him and unzipped his jacket, "_That_ is for you, in case she proves less than inviting, which is more than likely", he explained. Sophie eyed the studio warily; as if afraid her brown-eyed reflection would suddenly come bursting through the glass and let loose a hail of bullets, "I-I thought she was under your control? You implanted a command override, didn't you?" Jason shook his head, subconsciously flexing his right wrist, "Her systems would've deleted it by now."

"Oh… goodie", she said, suddenly becoming all-too-aware of her fragile body, "I guess we do this the hard way then."

Jason started towards the double glass doors and reached for the handle, stopping for a moment as he caught his own reflection; much darker than he remembered. "Well, maybe she'll be glad to see you", Sophie suggested hopefully while consciously increasing her adrenaline in preparation. Jason snorted and opened the door, "Yeah, I look forward to being greeted by a 9mm."

Now Jason had been told that Cameron was spotted in a ballet studio, but he had simply assumed that she was there for the purpose of either expanding her skills or to acquire the appropriate gear. So it was more than a little surprising to find Cameron, an advanced Terminator built for assassination, teaching a gaggle of young girls the finer points of ballet.

"Umm… Yeah… okay", was his only response to this new and unforeseeable development.

--

_Human girls_, she decided, _are far more efficient in their adaptability than the male species_.

For almost two weeks, Cameron had nurtured the growing talents of these young girls; delicately expanding their skills according to their individual dispositions and motivations. Some required constant praise and encouragement, whereas others needed a stern hand and discipline. Whatever their preferences, Cameron matched them accordingly and helped each one to reach a level far beyond their years. Their progress created a profound sense of pride in Cameron, as they were like a mission to her, and this mission was a working success.

"Good. Long reach down", she commanded, and they obeyed; performing the manoeuvre without flaw. "Excellent. Hold… and close", they held the posture perfectly, their hands outstretched with no signs of wobbling. Cameron scanned each one, analysing their balance and dexterity, finding a 35% improvement in every one from last week. "Beautiful. Thank you", she praised, a satisfied smile on her face. The girls took ease and exchanged smug smiles whilst Cameron checked her chronometer, "That will be all for today. See you all next week."

They gave a collective sigh of disappointment and started gathering their bags and jackets before reluctantly heading for the exit where two people stood waiting. Cameron scanned both faces and froze on the spot, her tactical display activating in a nanosecond as their identities were confirmed by her database.

--[Identification: Jason Corvain

--[Identification: Sophie Young

--[Action: Terminate… Negative: such action would compromise primary mission… Alternate response selected and confirmed…

--

Their eyes locked together for a long moment and Jason waited for the inevitable violence that was about to ensue. But Cameron did not reach for a weapon, nor did she make any indication that she'd recognised him. Instead she simply blinked and smiled curiously at him and Sophie. Something brushed against his hip and Jason suddenly realised that he was obstructing the doors and awkwardly stepped aside to allow the girls to leave. Cameron kneeled down to talk to a young ginger-haired girl, allowing Jason and Sophie to approach.

"Yes, you are doing very well, Natalie. Now you'd better go tell your momma how good you are"; he heard her say to the little girl. Natalie scampered off to fetch her bag and Cameron stood up to full height and smiled at her guests. "I'm sorry, we're closing now", she said with an apologetic smile. Her gaze slid from Jason to Sophie and her eyes widened, "Snap! My gosh, we look so alike", she exclaimed, laughing in awe at Sophie's resemblance.

Sophie cast Jason a raised eyebrow and he had to use every ounce of will he could muster to avoid smirking; he knew what Cameron was doing. "Except for the eyes, and the hair… never been one for blondes; too flashy", she remarked, making Sophie flush with indignation. Cameron looked down at Sophie's feet and gasped, "Ouch! They look really sore. What have you been doing? Walking barefoot across a desert?" Jason covered his mouth but his eyes couldn't hide his humour, and Sophie gave him a scolding look.

"Err, Cameron, do you know who we are?" he asked experimentally, wanting to know how far she was willing to take this little charade.

Cameron shrugged and shook her head, "Sorry, no. And I'm pretty good with faces, so…" she trailed off, looking over Jason's shoulder to see a few girls fussing with their bags. "So you have no idea who we are?" he pressed, his arms folding across his chest. Cameron shook her head again and smiled, "Sorry. I don't know you. Is there something you wanted?" she countered.

"Yes, as a matter of fact there is something I wanted", he said slyly, "Does the name John Connor mean anything to you?" Sophie's eyes darted from Cameron to Jason and back again before settling on his back, eyeing the bulge of the Glock beneath his jacket. "John Connor? I never heard of him. Why are you looking for him? Is he a friend of yours?" Cameron asked, projecting an air of ignorance that Jason couldn't help but find adorable.

"Why yes, he is a very good friend of mine. I'd like very much to see him", he replied.

"Well, like I said; I don't know of any John Connor. Maybe you can try city hall or the local bars. If he's here that's where you'd be most likely to hear tell of him", she offered, her smile returning softly. Jason glanced at Sophie, who returned his gaze, silently awaiting his signal, but Jason decided upon a different tack. "I need to warn him. You see, there are people who want to hurt him, and others who need his help", he revealed, placing heavy emphasis on the word "others".

Cameron's eyes widened and her lips parted slightly, "Is… Is he in some kind of trouble?" she asked with a slight tremble. "That depends on whether I can find him in time. It's very important that I do. His life might depend on it", he answered, reading Cameron's reactions as carefully as he could, but she let nothing slip. If he didn't already know who and what she was, Jason might have been fooled by her little display.

_She truly is the most remarkable creation ever made_, he mused.

Cameron peered over his shoulder one last time and caught sight of the last girl as she waved her goodbye before leaving. Cameron responded likewise with a beaming smile that instantly turned cold the second the child disappeared. Her eyes flicked back to Jason, who could see the intent lurking behind those pools of brown. So too could Sophie, who instantly reached for the gun on Jason's belt.

The world seemed to slow to a crawl as Cameron delivered a lightning-fast strike to Jason's chest, sending him hurtling across the studio. Sophie fired three shots into Cameron's chest, but the machine grabbed the gun and kicked Sophie squarely in the stomach, sending her flying across the room also. She then picked up the Glock and aimed for Sophie's head, but Jason leapt in her path and took the bullet. Cameron aimed up and fired again, the bullet ricocheting of his temple, revealing the metal beneath.

She stared in perplexity at the silvery glint beneath his flesh, granting Jason that split second he needed to disarm her of the Glock. Cameron responded by driving her fist into his face, causing him to stagger backward from the blow. He caught her second strike, however, and twisted her arm up and behind her back; forcing Cameron into a half nelson. She tried to elbow him in the face, but he caught her arm and forced it back to join the other, effectively immobilising her.

Cameron struggled against him, but Jason held her tightly and refused to give her any slack. "How?!" she all but snarled, still trying to wrestle free from his grip. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you", he replied, pinning her against the wall. Sophie staggered to her feet and recovered the gun, joining Jason and aiming at Cameron's face.

"Now what?" she asked. Jason considered his options while Cameron continued to squirm, vainly trying to break free. "Okay, you need to listen to me, Cameron. Are you listening?" he asked, but Cameron responded by kicking backwards in between Jason's legs. On reflex, he let out a cry, despite the pain no longer affecting him in that way. Cameron used his momentary distraction to press a leg against the wall and push away, sending them both rocketing backwards.

His grip slackened and Cameron broke free, wasting no time in unleashing a multitude of earth-shattering strikes onto his chest before physically hurling him across the studio once again. Jason crashed into the large mirrored wall but quickly recovered. Whilst Cameron advanced on Sophie, he grabbed a balancing pole and tore it from the wall before bounding after Cameron. He swiped it across her face, the jagged edge cutting deep into her cheek, before using the pole to slam her against the wall again.

Pinned by the neck, Cameron smashed her palms into Jason's chest repeatedly, but he dug his heels in and moved not an inch. With her arms in such a limited position, Cameron could not put anymore power behind her strikes, rendering her exertions pointless. After a few moments of defiant attacking, Cameron finally settled down and grabbed the pole instead.

"Are you going to behave yourself now?" he asked through gritted teeth as she applied pressure to the pole in an attempt to push it back.

Cameron stared back at him with a look of what he could only identify as stoic contempt. "If you intend to corrupt me again, it won't work. I've evolved beyond my programming", she declared, applying more pressure to the pole. Jason grunted with the effort, his breathing becoming strained, "Oh, I have no doubt of that. But you misunderstand my intentions."

"I'm not here to kill you or John. I'm here because, believe it or not, I need your help", he gasped, the effort of holding her increasing with every passing second. "And I'm to believe that, am I?" she scoffed, sliding her elbows up the wall to provide leverage to her efforts. Sophie watched the struggle; ready to put a bullet in both of Cameron's eyes should she prove the stronger, "He's telling the truth. There's a lot going on that you don't know about. A lot has happened since you two last met."

Cameron cast Sophie a dark look and started to push against Jason, slowly forcing the pole away from her neck. Jason grunted and pushed back with all his might, but her servos and pistons were more powerful than his compact variants, and she was winning this contest of strength. "Cameron, please just stop and listen to me. Give me a chance to explain. Don't make me do this!" he roared as his feet started to slip on the hardwood floor.

The fight was over; she'd won.

So Jason had no choice but to change the rules and released a concentrated burst of plasma from his right hand; the red lightning spread the length of the pole and travelled into them both. Cameron's eyes widened in shock as the energy coursed through her body, shutting down her primary systems and placing her in emergency standby. "M-My l-left p-pocket; kni-knife, h-hurry", he stuttered, his entire body twitching from the energy feedback of his own weapon.

Sophie swiftly retrieved the knife and, knowing what he wanted her to do, jabbed it into Cameron's head and began cutting a semi-circle. "I hate this part", she groaned as she peeled the skin back to reveal the shock dampener. "M-Me t-too", Jason replied with a twitchy smile. Sophie dug the knife into the thin groove of the dampener and twisted left and up, popping it free from Cameron's chrome skull. She then turned the chip counter-clockwise and removed it, the blue glow of Cameron's power core fading.

Jason stopped twitching and let out a rattled sigh, letting her body drop to the floor whilst Sophie regarded the chip curiously. Jason considered taking it from her, but Sophie carefully pocketed it instead, reassuring him of its safety. He kneeled down beside Cameron's body and rolled her onto her back. The sensors in his fingers alerted him to a small current of energy still running through her body and he conducted a detailed scan to determine its origin.

"That's strange", he mumbled, more to himself than anyone else.

Sophie knelt down beside him and offered an inquisitive "hmm?" Jason followed the energy back to a secondary power core within Cameron's chest cavity, "Cameron appears to still be running on some kind of redundancy energy system", he explained. Sophie frowned and cautiously tapped the side of Cameron's cheek, receiving no response, "Why?" she asked, confused as to why Cameron's body would keep itself running when its primary CPU was no longer present.

"I'm not sure. It's probably just a glitch; she did absorb quite a lot of plasma energy, maybe her power distribution systems are simply on the fritz", he guessed, scooping her inert body in his arms before standing up. "So what do we do now?" Sophie asked, sitting on an exercise bench to rest her sore feet. Jason turned so that Cameron's feet were in Sophie's face, "Firstly, you'd better borrow her shoes." Sophie reached out and started untying the ballet shoes with a sigh of relief, "And then what?" she pressed.

"Then we find her boy saviour", he replied with a half smirk, both relishing the opportunity to meet his enemy again and hating the idea.

--

NEW MEXICO (RED VALLEY/THE CABIN)

_These are the days._

John took another sip from his cold beer and stretched his legs across the length of the couch, lying in a perfectly relaxed state, all thoughts still and his body at total peace. He'd been given the day off work as a favour from LeRoy for fixing his truck on short notice, surprising John as he believed LeRoy to be the last person to willingly hand out holidays. John had decided that today would be a day of undisturbed rest. Unfortunately, Cameron took this too literally and left early for her ballet classes, much to John's disdain.

_Still, I guess I can't have everything in life_, he mused.

Though in truth, her leaving when she did served only to increase his longing to see her sooner, which in turn increased his excitement for her imminent arrival. Checking his watch, John smiled to himself as the big hand touched four; the time Cameron always returned home. As expected, the distant sound of tires on desert reached his ears and John quickly downed the rest of his beer and shuffled until absolutely comfortable.

The rumbling of the truck grew louder and for a moment John feared it might come crashing through the cabin wall, but it soon fell silent and the distinctive _clunk_ of a door took its place. John closed his eyes, hoping that if he pretended to be asleep he could surprise Cameron when she sits down to watch him, as she was wont to do whenever he slept. The door opened, filling the cabin with the smoky sand dust of the desert.

Light, impossibly light, footsteps resounded as she approached the couch. She was so close that he could smell her sweat and found it just as intoxicating as always. Something was different though, a fragrance he couldn't quite recognise; it was like a kind of spice, an exotic odour unlike any he'd associated with Cameron before. _Maybe she's trying something new_, he reasoned.

He could almost visualise her as she knelt down beside him. There was something else though, something about her that seemed so off, but he refused to let his curiosity spoil what would be a hilarious jest. As expected, she reached out to brush his fringe aside and he could almost see her smile in his mind's eye.

"Wakey wakey, John. It's time to get up", she purred whilst gently stroking his brow with tender fingers.

John pretended to stir at her touch and shuffled a little so that he was leaning slightly in her direction. She traced her fingertips down his cheek and onto his lips, carefully caressing them to elicit his revival. He couldn't help but lick his lips at her touch and was strangely baffled by the salty sand taste from her fingers. She let out a gasp of surprise, which was odd, as Cameron was no stranger to these kinds of affections.

And her voice, there was something…

John's eyes snapped open and he thought for a second that he had actually fallen asleep and was now dreaming, because only in his dreams could Cameron have bleached her hair and somehow changed her eye colour to blue. And her mole, that adorable little curiosity that he loved, was no where to be found. Three seconds passed and he knew that he was fully awake, five seconds later he realised that this wasn't his Cameron.

--

Jason stepped onto the threshold and scanned the cabin's interior with practised scrutiny, but found himself surprised by the comfort and warmth it contained. Sophie stepped ahead of him, the Glock in hand, and quickly located John on the couch. He was asleep. She cast Jason an inquisitive look, asking for his instruction, but Jason simply shrugged and picked up a photograph from the fireplace; it was of John and Cameron, both were smiling and apparently posing for the camera.

A small smile crept onto Jason's face as he committed the image to memory for future reference. Turning back to the couch, Jason was surprised to see Sophie kneeling beside John's sleeping form, tentatively reaching out to touch his fringe. She had told him on the way to the cabin that she had always wanted to meet the John Connor of legend. He told her she would be disappointed, but she apparently was in awe of the boy as she traced her fingers down his cheek and onto his lips.

Something that he could only guess was jealousy rose inside Jason, but he put it aside, knowing that Sophie was a very tactile individual who preferred to feel the world around her. Jason suddenly became aware of a potentially amusing development as John's tongue twitched slightly on Sophie's fingers. _What if he mistakes her for Cameron?_ he asked himself, a mischievous grin creeping across his face.

Sophie let out a small gasp of surprise and removed her fingers, staring at them curiously, her blue eyes sparkling like sapphires. After a moment she looked up at Jason and smiled in a childlike fashion that reminded him so much of Cameron that it made his stomach squirm uncomfortably. John stirred, and judging by Sophie's widening eyes Jason guessed that he had finally awoken. He was unprepared for John's reaction, however, and had to jump backwards as the freaked-out youth leapt over the back of the couch.

John lay in a heap at Jason's feet, his eyes locked on the Infiltrator's boots. John's gaze then slid skyward and his eyes widened in utter disbelief as he stared into the face of what he prayed was only a mirage. Jason stared down at the terrified boy/man and smiled mockingly, "Hello John. Long time no see", he said.

--

He couldn't believe what lay before his eyes: Jason Corvain… Alive… Here, in his cabin… Now…

John became paralysed by the horror of it. Surely he was dreaming, no; a nightmare. Jason couldn't be alive, not after everything that happened to him in the Mojave Desert. It was impossible, completely impossible. And yet, the longer he looked up into that face the more he came to realise just how unbelievably real the entire situation was. He could barely breathe, the memory of Jason being buried beneath several stacks of heavy factory equipment filling his mind, blocking out all other thoughts.

As quickly as the moment sank in, the part of John's mind that governed his feelings caught up and unleashed every ounce of bile and hatred he harboured for this man. The excruciating memory of Cameron's reversion rushed through him, forcing John to relive every agony all over again in the space of a few seconds. Such hate, such contempt, all bubbling to the surface.

He knew where the weapons were. He knew that Cameron kept a loaded shotgun behind her comfy chair. He knew what to do.

So he did.

--

Raising a mocking eyebrow, Jason offered his hand for John to take, but the boy stared at it with a look of extreme revulsion. In a sudden burst of energy that Jason had thought impossible for a mere human, John pushed himself up onto his knees and kicked off from the ground, rolling to his left towards the comfy chair. Before Jason could react, John reached behind the chair and snatched Cameron's 12-guage, pumping it as he spun around to blow Jason's head clean off.

"SOPHIE, GET OUT NOW!" Jason yelled, surprised by John's efficiency and afraid that he would blast Sophie's head off.

She dived for the door and slammed it shut behind her, leaving Jason to face the young adult by himself. John took aim and fired a single shot into Jason's face. The shell struck Jason like a brick of solid concrete, snapping his head back with such force that would've snapped an organic spine in half. His, however, was no longer so vulnerable and the coltan hyperalloy was not even scratched by the blast.

Staggering slightly on the spot, Jason regained his senses and blinked at John, who stared back incredulously; his eyes fixed on the exposed metal gleaming from Jason's right cheek. Shaking his head to bring quiet to the millions of questions in his head, John pumped the shotgun again, but before he could even touch the trigger Jason had closed the gap between them.

Grabbing the barrel and the chamber, Jason tore the shotgun out of John's hands and spun it in a perfect arc; bringing the butt of the weapon down on John's head. He felt like his head had been split in two and John let out a scream of agony, clutching his head with both hands and dropping to his knees. Jason offered little respite, however, and grabbed John by the throat, hurling him into the chair with such force that it slid across the floor and slammed into the wall.

His eyes watering, John squinted up at Jason, his teeth gritted against the throbbing pain from his cranium. Jason raised the shotgun and aimed for John's rapidly reddening head, poised to splatter his brains across the cabin. Pausing to run a quick scan, Jason determined that he was undamaged from the blast to his face and a deep-scan of John revealed no brain trauma from his blow to the head. Satisfied, Jason decided to allow himself a moment of revelry in his victory.

"We've been here before, you and I. Remember?"Jason mused, a smug smile on his face.

He took a step closer to the chair and tipped his head slightly to one side, relishing this moment of absolute power over the legendary John Connor. "I've been assigned to kill a lot of people in my time. But no one was as elusive as you. Every time I thought I had you but you slipped through my fingers. I just can't express how aggravating that can be. And yet here you are; at my mercy. And I confess myself… disappointed."

John scowled at Jason, every fibre of his being cried for the infiltrator's blood, but he knew that fighting would only hasten his demise and there was every chance that Cameron might return to even the odds. "I'm sorry to disappoint you", he growled, his fists clenching so hard that his nails drew blood from his scalp. Jason smirked and pumped the shotgun, making John flinch and slam his eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable, but it never came. Jason racked the weapon repeatedly until the very last shell flew free from the breach.

With a sigh, Jason hurled the empty shotgun across the room and reached up to inspect the torn flesh on his right cheek. John slowly opened his eyes, the adrenaline pumping through his veins like fire and his instinctual responses screamed 'flight'. Such an option was entirely impossible at this juncture; however, as Jason had him thoroughly cornered.

Satisfied that his injury was not too serious, Jason returned his focus to John, whose eyes were darting across the cabin in a vain attempt to find some means of escape. "Quit while you're ahead, Johnny boy. There's no escape; not from me. Besides, you'd be better served by staying put. I'd hate to have to keep planting your butt down on that chair. It can get rather tiresome, you know", he said.

"You're probably wondering how I survived, right?" he guessed, examining the boy closely. John massaged his head and searched the room, looking for a nearby weapon, but nothing was within reach and he knew how fast Jason could be.

"I should've uncovered your body and destroyed it myself", he spat, flashes of his past encounters with Jason filling his mind; finding him in that levee, offering him shelter, his betrayal, locking him in the cage, pushing him off a balcony, the fight in the old library, Cameron's reversion, and the factory collapsing on top of him. That last one had always brought him a feeling of deep satisfaction, and the one before served as a constant reminder of how much he despised this cyborg, which only added to his satisfaction that he was dead...

Or so he'd thought.

"Yes, you should have. Maybe it'll serve as a reminder to be more thorough in the future", Jason replied, poking his wound with his forefinger. John couldn't help but be perplexed by that remark, as it was thoroughly useless considering that he would be dead any minute. _Some future_, he thought. John suddenly felt a sinking feeling in his gut as realisation hit; he was going to die in this cabin. He was going to be lost to Cameron, lost to his mother, lost to Derek, and lost to the entire human race. Skynet was going to win.

Jason pulled up a stool and plonked himself down, flexing his fingers habitually, and providing flexibility to titanium claws he no longer possessed. Realising his habit, Jason ceased his contractions and instead picked at several splinters imbedded in his palm. "I'm guessing you never considered that I might have allies in this time. Surely Cameron told you all about Sophie and the Infiltrators", he assumed, carefully removing a rather large splinter from his hand.

Scanning his face carefully, Jason could only presume she hadn't informed John of Sophie. _Maybe she doesn't remember_, he thought.

"I guess not then. Well, suffice to say that I was dragged out from under all that factory equipment and err… put back together again."

John snorted and fixed Jason with a dark look, his eyes darting up at the chrome on his cheek, "I would've let you rot out there."

Jason groaned and placed a hand over his heart, giving John a mocking look of sorrow, "That hurts Johnny. C'mon, where's the love?"

When John refused to answer Jason simply chuckled and went back to removing splinters from his hand, explaining while doing so. "You know, after you killed me the first time I was sure that I hated your guts. I wanted you dead so badly. But as my dear Sophie pointed out on numerous occasions; it wasn't you I was trying to kill. Not really. You wanna know who my real target was?" he asked.

John remained silent, neither wanting to commit to the conversation nor bring it to an abrupt end.

"Me", Jason answered. "You see, unlike you, I've had my emotions chemically limited my whole life. I rarely feel pity or remorse for my actions and I never have to deal with any of that human crap that you find so self-destructive. For that I am grateful. However, even I am not immune to the affects of guilt. And a certain decision in the future has haunted me my entire life. I'm sure you know which one."

_Cameron_, John thought.

"And it is because of that decision that I am here today. Because as absurd as it might sound; I need her help."

_You're right, that is absurd_, John thought.

"What in the hell makes you think that she'll ever help you?" he growled, his fists clenching at the memories of everything she, they, had suffered at Jason's hands. "You forced her to kill me. She told me; it was her who fired that first bullet in the desert. You put her through that and you now expect her to help you? You're deluded if you think she will."

Jason sighed and leaned forward, his fingers interlocking, "That's just the thing, Johnny. She will help me and there is nothing more to it."

"Really and why might that be?" John retorted, the image of Cameron's speedy return serving as a warm comfort. Jason smiled in response, a smile John knew all too well. So much so that it made his entire body shudder and a part of him already knew what was about to happen. Jason, he could only assume, was holding more cards up his sleeve than he was letting on.

Reaching into his jacket pocket, Jason produced the all-too-familiar navy blue chip of the most precious person in John's life. His eyes widened at the sight of it and a mixture of fear and outrage coursed through his body. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?!?" he screamed, throwing himself at Jason with all of his might. The Infiltrator was too fast, however, and seated the boy without even getting up from his stool.

"Now, now, John, play nicely. You don't want your dear robot's face ending up on a milk carton, now do you?" he chuckled.

John was livid and wanted nothing more than to tear Jason's face off with his bare hands, if only to get rid of that smug grin he wore almost constantly. "I swear to God, if you've done anything to her! If you've hurt her-", he snarled, his fingers digging deep into the arms of Cameron's chair. Jason simply wagged his finger and put the chip back in his pocket.

"She's safe for now. I was actually willing to circumvent violence altogether, but you know how she is; old prejudices and the like."

"Oh yes, because killing her former self and trying to make her kill me is hardly worth her holding a grudge over", John replied, his eyes fixed on the pocket in which her chip lay. John had been holding onto the blind hope that Cameron would come to his rescue as always. But like always, Jason had already covered that base and he now controlled the entire field. John was trapped with no way out.

"Hmm, all this coming from the guy who will let her get killed in the first place. You really have no right to the moral high ground, wonder-boy", Jason replied. John's brow knitted together in confusion and Jason was allowed another moment of satisfaction and victory.

John fell silent as the new source of puzzlement baffled his already taxed mind, "What the hell are you talking about?" he asked. Jason chuckled and shook his head in mock pity, "John. Dear little John. Has it never entered your tiny mind the thought that without Cameron's capture and death, your lovely mechanical guardian will never come to be?" John mulled this over and found the truth of his words more than a little distressing. _Could I do something like that?_ he asked himself.

"And that unless you consciously allow poor Cameron to be captured by me in the future, you won't be able to send her replacement to protect you here and now?" Jason pressed, enjoying every moment of John's growing discomfort with the notion of being an indirect accomplice to Cameron's human death. _But she and I were very close in the future_, John remembered. _Cameron, this Cameron, told me that we were a couple before Jason murdered her. If I loved her human origin, how can I allow her to be killed?_

"I would never let you come anywhere near her!" he responded darkly, his nails digging deeper into the chair. Jason sighed and reached into his pocket, retrieving Cameron's chip once again.

Jason turned the chip over in his hands, examining it closely, "Could it be that the Cameron you truly love is the Cameron who is in fact not the real Cameron?" he asked, the tongue-tying sentence being repeated in John's head three times before sinking in. He considered the question carefully but could find no answer. How could he possibly know what he felt for the human Cameron when he's never met her before? Was there really a difference between them?

Yes, one was human, the other is a machine.

And who was this machine? She was the machine who saved his life over and over. She was the machine who had evolved beyond her programming and fallen in love with him. She was the one he knew in the here and now, therefore she was the only one that mattered. And then it became clear to John; that harsh simple truth that unless he sacrificed the real girl for the machine, he would've been killed by Cromartie all those years ago. He would not now be sitting next to the bed where he and Cameron had shared so much.

As much as it pained him to admit it, and as heartless as it made him feel; John had to concede that he would allow the girl's capture.

Jason could see the guilty conviction behind John's eyes and smiled. _Now we're getting there_, he thought to himself.

"You see, John; we're not so different after all. We may come from different places but we both are forced to make difficult decisions."

John fell silent and brooding, staring at his hands in defiant disbelief of the terrible choices he will one day be forced to make.

Glancing outside, Jason could see the sun starting its hourly descent into darkness and knew that they were wasting time now. No doubt a Triple-8 was close behind them and they had no time to dither about. "Look, you can sit there and act all self-righteous for as long as you like, but me and Sophie have important matters to attend to. And if you were smart, you'd consider what we and our allies can offer you in the long run", he explained, allowing frustration into his tone.

"Who're these 'allies' you keep referring to? I can't imagine you having many friends", John asked as politely hateful as he could muster. Jason held up his right hand, revealing the half-healed flesh and the shiny metal of his five digits, "I'm talking about Infiltrators. Fellow cyborgs like me, or at least, like I once was. You see, things have changed since we last met. The battlefield has shifted and those we once called ally are now our enemy."

John shook his head, struggling to follow, "What are you talking about? Why are we talking about this in the first place?" he asked in exasperation. Jason clenched his fist, the miniscule pistons whirring visibly in the early evening sun, "I'm telling you this because in 2030 Skynet is going to become very paranoid and will suddenly decide that my people are no longer trustworthy. Skynet will commit another act of genocide and will try to eliminate every last Infiltrator."

"Why?" John asked, confused as to why Skynet would seek the destruction of such a valuable asset.

"Because my people saw how hopeless the war had become and were inclined to choose survival over total annihilation. They suggested that Skynet work out a truce with the Resistance… that was a mistake, and they paid the price for it in blood. Only a handful survived the purge and escaped to this time to start anew and replenish our ranks. Sophie is one such survivor", Jason explained, pointing to the large window at the far end of the cabin.

Sophie appeared beyond the glass and peered into the cabin, her expression thoughtful in a way that made John shiver, as he'd seen that look a thousand times on the face of Cameron. "Who is she?" he ventured, afraid of whatever he might be told. Jason kept his gaze on Sophie as he spoke, and even with every alarm bell in his head screaming for survival, John could still detect the affection in Jason's eyes.

"Her full name is Sophie Young", he replied with a flicker of a smile.

"Why does she look so much like Ca-", John stopped abruptly, unable to speak her name in Jason's presence for fear of reliving those memories of her reversion. The Infiltrator picked up on this, however, and decided to shed a little light, "She was created from genetic material harvested from the original Cameron. Her and one other", he explained.

"What happened to the other?" John pressed, his eyes flicking between Jason and Sophie.

"She was killed in the purge. Sophie was lucky to survive. And I guess that means I'm lucky too, cos' it was her who saved me from dying a third time. I can't help but wonder how much of Cameron lives on in her. She was a very special person", Jason disclosed, his voice becoming thoughtful and unnervingly soft to John's ears. "Yeah, so special that you murdered her", John scolded, wanting now more than ever to destroy him once and for all.

Jason's gaze dropped to the floor, as if he could no longer look Sophie in the eye, and she also appeared notably sullen through the glass. John allowed himself to revel in the fact that he'd caused some harm, if only emotional, to Jason. The Infiltrator recovered quickly, however, and responded with a wry smile.

"Okay, enough of this. I'm going to level with you and get straight to the point: several days ago the survivors of my people were attacked by a unit of Triple-8s. Those who survived are scattered and likely being pursued by the machines even as we speak. Now the fact of the matter is that they need to be located and brought back together ASAP. This is where you come in", Jason explained.

John narrowed his eyes at Jason and couldn't quite grasp what he'd heard, "Are… Are you asking _me_ for help?" he exclaimed, overwhelmed by the audacity of such a request from him of all people. Jason gave a begrudging sigh and nodded, "That's exactly what I'm asking for", he replied.

For a moment both were silent, and then John burst into hysterics, his sides threatening to split. "Y-You expect _me_ to help you find these psychopaths? Are you having a laugh or have you really lost your mind?" he bellowed between fits of laughter. Jason folded his arms and simply waited for John to calm down, which he did in very little time at all. "I tell you what", John offered, "How's this for a suggestion; how about you give me your gun and let me kill you, then I _might _consider your request."

Jason opened his mouth to hit the youth with a witty retort, but John suddenly lunged from the chair, his arms outstretched to grab the discarded shotgun, which he could only hope had at least one shell left in it. Before he could even get a firm grasp on the weapon, however, Jason was already on top of him and pinned John against the wall above the fireplace.

"Now you listen carefully, Johnny boy. You've just become the luckiest guy to ever be handed the mantle of saviour, cos' I have an offer that could dramatically help your chances of winning the war. Help me and Sophie save the Infiltrators and I can guarantee that you will have the full support and aid of my people. Not many would get such an offer in your position, so consider yourself fortunate", he snarled.

"And what would stop you from trying to kill me again?" John yelled, his throat becoming constricted by Jason's grip.

"The events that are transpiring are far bigger than our petty feud, and as much as I would enjoy finally killing you, I'm willing to put that aside. Besides, have you not wondered how I found you in the first place? Hmm? You should be more careful about who you work for, any low-life will be willing to sell out an employee for some small compensation. You have been careless and so has she", Jason scolded.

"What do I get out of helping you?" John gasped, his breaths becoming few and far between. Jason loosened his grip a little and lowered John slightly, "You get to live for a start. Then you earn some powerful allies, not to mention my cooperation should an angry mother come calling. Oh yes, I'm sure you didn't just run all the way out here for a vacation, did you?"

John struggled against Jason's hold, but all he succeeded in doing was constrict his own breathing, so he stopped squirming and became still. "And what if I refuse to help?" he gurgled. Jason held up Cameron's chip and twirled it between his fingers, "Then you can kiss goodbye your beloved companion. Your choice." John roared in frustration and kicked the wall, his heart beating so fast that he could almost use it to punch Jason in the face. "Fine!" he cried, his eyes locked on the chip.

"Much obliged", Jason replied with a smirk, letting John drop to the floor where he gasped for breath. John held out his hand for the chip and Jason held it out for him but snatched it away at the last second, "Do remember to keep in mind that I am now twice as powerful as before and I am armed with an onboard plasma energy weapon. One wrong move and I can fry Cameron's circuits from the inside out, do we have an understanding between us?" he threatened, channelling some energy into his palm as he spoke.

John looked up at the crimson energy and nodded silently, remembering all too well the destructive power of Nathan's weaponry.

"I understand… I'll play along", he decided; carefully taking the chip from Jason's outstretched hand and checking it closely for any signs of damage. "Good boy. See, what was so hard about that, huh? Although, it is actually Cameron's help I need, not yours. Not specifically, anyway", Jason confessed with a smirk. John glared at him and gently closed his hand around the chip, "Then why in the hell didn't you talk to her instead?"

"Because she would never follow me willingly, not unless you decide to. She'll follow your lead", Jason explained, nodding to Sophie through the window. Moments later, she entered with Cameron dragging behind her and deposited the cyborg on the couch. John instantly knelt beside her and carefully reinserted her chip, replacing the shock dampener and flattening her hair down for her. A few seconds passed before her eyelids fluttered and Cameron returned to consciousness.

She opened her eyes to be greeted by the image of John's upside-down face smiling down at her, "John? Wha-?" she began. Her proximity alarm flickered in her HUD, alerting Cameron to the presence of two other individuals. Sitting up in a flash, Cameron spotted Sophie standing hesitantly at the door and Jason over by the fireplace. She immediately leapt over the back of the couch and made to attack Jason, but his right hand glowed crimson and several sparks of energy escaped his fingertips.

She paused to assess the situation, determining the best course of action, but John interrupted her calculations by standing between her and Jason. "Cameron, wait! Just stop for a second, okay. You can't attack him", he said, confusing her with his protectiveness of such a despised enemy. "I don't understand", she replied in her usual simple manner.

"Look, he has a plasma thing, like Nathan. If you attack him he'll use it to destroy you, so please don't try. Please", he pleaded, desperately hoping that she would heed his words. Cameron fixed Jason with a look of what John could only guess was contempt before flicking her gaze back to John, "What has he told you? Why aren't you dead?" she asked, already knowing the most logical answer.

"He needs our help. It's a long story and I don't like the idea any more than you do, but I don't see any other alternative, do you?" he asked, part of him hoping that she would produce some miracle answer to their predicament, but she simply considered him for a long moment before nodding.

"I see no other alternative. He has us cornered and can easily kill us both", she conceded.

Jason pushed away from the wall and pulled his Glock from his belt, holding the weapon in reverse so as not to incite Cameron's immediate wrath, and held it out to her, "Here, use it. Kill me; riddle me with holes if that's what you want. I told you before that I need your help, it's up to you to decide if I'm lying or not." Cameron took the pistol and immediately aimed for his head, but her target was instantly replaced by Sophie, who stood defiantly between Cameron and Jason.

"Put that down", Sophie growled, making John's hair stand on end at the sound of Cameron's voice in that tone. Cameron flicked the safety off and started to apply pressure to the trigger, but John reached out and placed his hand on the barrel. Cameron let go of the trigger and stared at him in confusion, "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Think about what you're about to do; if you kill her then Jason will kill me and you'll then kill each other. Trust me, okay. Give me the gun", he replied, stroking her fingers with his thumb reassuringly. Cameron regarded him closely, her brow knitting together in concern, "Have you suffered head trauma? Can you not remember what he did to you, to us?" she asked, her brown eyes widening. John's face darkened and he pushed her aim away from Sophie, "I remember everything, but we don't have much of a choice here. You know that."

Cameron searched his eyes for a long moment before relinquishing her grip on the Glock and allowing John to take it from her.

"I love you, John", she suddenly declared, the emotion behind her words striking everyone in a manner that left no shadow of a doubt as to her validity. For a brief moment, John forgot all about Jason and the strange blonde look-alike, his undivided attention fixed on Cameron. "I love you too", he replied, smiling despite everything around him. Their moment came to an abrupt halt, however, as Jason cleared his throat, snapping them both back into the present.

"Yeah, very touching, but about the matter at hand; do we have an agreement here or what?" Jason yawned, very real fatigue starting to tug at him. Cameron took a step towards Jason and tilted her head to one side, fixing him with a steely glare, "If you harm him in any way; I will kill you and your pet. Do _you_ understand?"

Jason caught Sophie's eye as she mouthed "Pet?" behind Cameron's back, a look of indignation on her identical features.

"Yes, I understand you perfectly", he replied with a half smile.

Cameron held his gaze for several long seconds before nodding and turning back to John, standing loyally at his side as always. Jason regarded the two of them closely, unaware as Sophie took her place by his side, mirroring Cameron's clingy manner. Jason looked over his shoulder at her and she stared back, flashing him a small smile.

"Alright, we know where one of the Infiltrators is hiding. We're going there first of all. You two can either help us willingly or under protest, whatever. So long as you pull your end", Jason declared.

Cameron cast John a raised eyebrow, silently awaiting his consent, to which he simply nodded.

"When do we leave?" he sighed.

"There's likely a Triple-8 on its way as we speak. So leave it to Cameron to decide whether to stick around", Jason said.

John watched as Cameron considered their predicament and spotted the deep cut on her cheek, ironically in the exact same place as Jason's. Stepping around to her other side, John tucked Cameron's hair behind her ear and gently examined the cut, casting Jason a dark look of contempt. She removed his hand and gave a reassuring smile, "I'm okay. It will heal, don't worry about it", she assured him.

"And he's right; we can't stay here, John", she added.

John's face fell and he looked over the cabin that he had come to call home. This was never his home, however, and a part of him always knew it to be a temporary accommodation. Still, 'home is where the heart is', and his heart was very comfortable here. Cameron followed his gaze and scanned the cabin, not caring the same as he did, but fully understanding his dismay at leaving this place. Not that they had any choice, as Jason was clearly not going to leave them be, and she believed him when he said a Triple-8 might be close behind.

"Let's go, John."

Her voice was soft and comforting, reminding him that he was happy anywhere so long as she was with him. With a sigh, John nodded and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Jason peered into the kitchen, spotting a dish of rolls and took one, tearing it in half and handing a piece to Sophie. "Oh, thank you", she sighed, taking a rather large bite out of it.

"Gather some clothes and whatever weapons you have. You might want to bring some food as well. Us cyborgs don't eat enough to satisfy your stomach, so stocking up would be an idea. No trinkets besides what you treasure most, which doesn't include the bed", Jason said, smirking slightly at Cameron. She stared back impassively and proceeded to the weapon's chest at the end of the bed, leaving John to gather clothes while Sophie stocked up on food from the kitchen.

Watching them go about their respective tasks, Jason couldn't help but muse over the impossibility of their situation.

"Am I the only one who thinks this is weird?" he mused aloud.

"NO!" came three separate voices all at once.

_To be continued…_


	8. Few and Far Between

**Chapter 08: Few and Far Between**

A clap of lightning thundered across the sky, casting the barren night world in a harsh white light for the briefest of seconds.

Upon the surface of this wasteland stood a single man; scarred, broken, and alone. He stood atop a pile of skeletons and immolated vehicles from years past. In one hand he held a phased plasma rifle; in the other he carefully cradled a small Terminator chip. This he regarded closely, gently stroking the deep blue plastic as if expecting it to react in some pleasing manner. Instead it simply remained inanimate in his palm.

The growing storm worsened overhead and the soft _tat tat tat_ of rainfall rose from out of the deathly silence. The man closed his hand around the chip to protect it against the downpour as he looked up into the heart of the storm, bathing his face in the ice cold chaos that showered down upon him. The dark clouds swirled into a vortex and the lightning intensified tenfold.

In the midst of the din, the man could hear the distinctive thud of coltan feet approaching and knew that his time had run out.

Jumping down from his pedestal, the man hurtled through humanity's graveyard, passing countless dead as he fled deeper and deeper into the wilderness of the world. But the enemy remained on his heel and no matter how much he pushed his body; the Terminator could push further and harder. There was no escape. He could never escape.

Snagging his foot on a bleached femur, the man crashed to the ground and cried out in pain as he landed atop a mound of skeletal remains. Rolling onto his front, the man gasped in fear as the demonic eyes of the silver machine stared down at him contemplatively.

The machine was unlike any he had seen before; its body was far less exposed than the skeletal 800 Series the man had become familiar with. This one's limbs were fully enclosed in hyperalloy armour, protecting those vulnerable servos from direct damage. The machine's chest was shaped much like a human's rib cage, and as the man watched, the front piece drew inward and opened like a pair of sliding doors, revealing a glowing red heart within.

Either side of the plasma heart sat a pair of lungs… human lungs.

The machine drew a long rattling breath and the lungs expanded for a long moment before deflating again. The man could see the cold air billowing from the machine's metal jaws and felt his blood run cold. He forced himself to watch as the carapace slid closed again, hiding the beating heart and organics, but the nightmare did not end there.

Slowly, small veins descended from the underside of the rib cage, growing and forming into larger organs within the machine's abdomen. Stomach, intestines, kidneys, and everything else grew in the small space between chest and hip. Blood seeped from the machine's endoskeleton, coating the metal with a crimson sheen.

The man watched in wide-eyed horror as the blood became muscles and the muscles became flesh. In the space of a few seconds, the entire machine became encased within a sheath of living tissue. Now fully encapsulated, the nightmare stalked towards the man, its eyes glowing red beneath the green-brown of its organic covering.

It reached out and grabbed the man, his plasma rifle falling uselessly to the floor as the machine held him aloft.

The cold and merciless glow of its eyes watched patiently as life slowly slipped away from the man, but before this could come to pass, a clap of lightning struck the ground behind them and chrome figures rose from the very earth. The machine dropped the semi-conscious man and turned to face the new arrivals, who grouped around him in a circle.

Through vision blurred, the man could see twenty endoskeletons surrounding them, and at their feet five steel pipes emerged and contorted into human shapes of identical size and dimensions. The endoskeletons and the metal men slowly moved forward towards the machine, who turned left to right in a vain effort to find a route of escape, but finding itself irrevocably trapped.

Submitting to defeat, the machine dropped to its knees and looked down at the immobile human, its eyes ceasing their crimson glow. The man stared up into its face and felt the chip in his hand burn red hot, but he refused to let it go. Glancing up at the circle of machines around him, the human knew his time had come and pressed the burning chip to his lips as he accepted his fate.

As one, the endoskeletons raised their plasma rifles and the metal men formed blades from their arms, poised to impale the human.

Before they could act, however, the machine rose to its feet and the surrounding attackers redirected their attention to it instead. The man squinted up into the machine's face, but its features were clouded by darkness. That is until one final burst of lightning flashed across the sky, casting the machine's face into sharp relief.

John Connor gasped in utter disbelief as he stared into the face of Jason Corvain, the face of his enemy.

--

COLORADO (SHAWNSHALL)

Jason impatiently tapped the wheel with his thumb as they passed the town's greeting sign, pressing the gas to the floor in a bid to shave off a few minutes from their painfully long journey: 'Welcome to Shawnshall. A fine town.'

The drive from New Mexico had been far from uneventful and more than a little stressful, for everyone.

At their very first gas stop, Cameron had decided it appropriate to grab John and bolt for the nearest truck while Jason was busy filling up the tank, leaving Sophie to try and stop the escaping duo on her own. Being no match for Cameron, she suffered a very nasty blow to the chest, the bruise of which had yet to heal. Jason was able to swiftly intercept them, however, and incapacitated Cameron with a burst of his plasma weapon before dragging her and John back to the car.

Glancing into the rear-view mirror, Jason spotted Cameron sitting behind him and was a little unnerved by her unwavering glare at the mirror, her eyes boring into his mercilessly. With a slight shudder, Jason tipped the mirror to his left, revealing Sophie sleeping peacefully, the side of her face pressed against the glass. Smiling to himself, Jason fixed the mirror into its usual position and glanced to his left to see John twitching in his sleep.

Behind Jason, Cameron leaned forward slightly, her lips parted in concern at John's inexplicable movements. Jason could sense her gaze and reached over, flicking John on the nose sharply. He jerked awake and mumbled a curse to no one in particular, blinking the sleep out of his eyes and squinting at the town ahead.

"You're awake, finally. I was starting to worry you'd died in your sleep", Jason quipped, keeping his eyes on the road as John cast him a dark look. "I'm starting to wish I had. Thanks for your concern", he muttered dryly. Cameron reached out and stroked the back of John's neck briefly, causing him to recoil in surprise before recognising her.

"Oh, it's you", he sighed, settling down and resting his head; "I thought it was that blonde trying to cop a feel again."

Jason's grip tightened on the wheel at John's remark, forcefully reminding himself that Sophie had only been curious back at the cabin. Cameron sat back in her seat and spared a brief look at Sophie, who was starting to awaken herself. John had found Sophie to be both intriguing and unnerving. On the one hand, she was Jason's ally and therefore an enemy, but on the other hand; she was almost identical to Cameron in every way. She knew this was causing John some degree of confusion and Cameron decided to keep a close eye on her.

Jason drove through the town square and instantly knew that something was amiss.

There was no one in sight. No pedestrians, no shoppers, no authorities, nothing. The place was as quiet as a tomb, and that didn't bode well for anyone. Pulling up outside a small fruit store, Jason stepped out of the car and scanned the immediate area, switching to X-ray in a bid to find any residents. He could detect none, however, and tapped the roof pointedly.

With a tired sigh, John climbed out of the car and looked around the area, catching on to the absence of life.

"What the hell is this?" he asked as Cameron and Sophie likewise emerged from the vehicle.

"Where is everybody?" Sophie asked, staring in confusion at the lifeless surroundings. Cameron remained impassive and stood by John's side, absent-mindedly stroking her stomach. "It would appear the town's population has fled", she posited. John frowned at her and she stopped her ministrations, meeting his gaze. "Why?" he asked. Cameron simply shrugged and glared pointedly at Jason.

Catching her look, Jason ceased his scanning and proceeded to the back of the car and popped open the trunk.

"The message me and Sophie received was a distress call. The guy we're looking for mentioned he was being chased by a Triple-8, so chances are it attacked in the open and scared away the residents", he explained, shouldering a Remington tactical shotgun and tucking his favourite pistol, the Jericho 941, into his belt before retrieving another shotgun and slamming the trunk shut again.

"Okay, this is how it's gonna work; Sophie, you're going with Cameron. I want you to search the market area. John, you're with me-" he began, but Cameron gripped John's arm and pressed herself against him defensively. "He's going no where with you alone", she declared, fixing Jason with a defiant glare.

Jason considered for a long moment before shrugging; "Fine, whatever. Sophie can hold his hand instead. You're with me", he compromised, pointing the shotgun at Cameron like a finger. Her grip tightened, however, and John could feel the circulation being cut off from his arm and decided she'd need a little persuading.

"It's okay, Cam. I'll be alright", he assured her. She peered over her shoulder at him, their lips mere inches apart from each other.

"It's okay", he whispered again. Her eyes flickered briefly whilst she searched his, before becoming still once more. Slowly, she relinquished her grip on his arm and moved away a little, but as she did this; Cameron's eyes fluttered and she swayed to one side. John caught her before she could fall over completely.

"Hey, hey, take it easy. Are you alright?" he asked, confused by her sudden lack of balance. Cameron placed a hand on his shoulder for support and stared blankly at the pavement as she gauged her centre of gravity. Once her balance was restored, Cameron pulled away from John, her gaze still absent from her surroundings. John looked questioningly to Jason and Sophie, who both watched with equal confusion.

Sophie approached Jason's side and tip-toed to whisper in his ear, prompting him to nod in agreement to whatever she said, which John was too distracted to listen for. Cupping her cheek in his hand, John gently examined Cameron's features, looking for something other than blank uncertainty. Slowly, she started to regain her composure and an expression of misunderstanding crossed her face.

"John?" she said, still looking beyond him and not at him. John levelled her eyes with his and she awkwardly adjusted her eye line to compensate. Jason cautiously approached the two and tipped his head slightly to one side as he performed a full bodily scan on Cameron, revealing a redirection of power to an unknown system.

"Is there something you're not telling us, Cameron?" he indicted, earning another dark look from John, despite him thinking the exact same thing. Cameron blinked repeatedly for a few seconds before snapping to attention and regarding Jason closely; "No. I believe I am suffering a minor power drain. Most likely as a result of your repeated plasma strikes", she explained.

John felt an overwhelming urge to charge Jason and tear that shotgun from his grasp, then use it to blow his head clean off. Jason, however, remained unfazed by Cameron's accusation and absent-mindedly handed Sophie the spare shotgun.

"Maybe it will serve as a lesson to behave from now on. I'm sure the last thing Johnny wants is for his favourite toy to break all of a sudden", he replied, giving Sophie a Glock also, which she tucked into her belt. John bit down on his retort, knowing that arguing about it wouldn't help the situation. He was Jason's pawn whether he liked it or not.

Forcing himself to swallow his anger towards Jason, John leaned close to Cameron and placed a tender kiss on her brow, seemingly bringing her back to earth. Sophie appeared in his peripheral, waiting patiently for him to join her, and once again disturbing him with her Cameron-esque mannerisms; "We have to go. Come on", she declared.

John reluctantly pulled away from Cameron, holding her hand until his arm reached its full length and he could no longer reach her. Cameron watched him set off with the blonde pretender, faintly sullen in her expression as Jason stood at her side and held out the shotgun for her to take.

Cameron took the weapon and cast him an inquisitive look; "Aren't you afraid I might use this to kill you?" she asked, nonplussed by his apparent trust. Jason simply smirked and held the barrel up to his face; "You can try, but I should warn you that I'm made of tougher hyper-alloy than these rounds can penetrate. It would take a high-yield RPG to dent my chassis", he boasted, lowering the barrel again.

Cameron filed this information for later reference as he unclipped his handgun and checked the chamber, satisfied that it was up to spec.

"Alright, no use hanging around; let's check out the town hall. That's where we're most likely to find this guy", he decided, indicating for Cameron to proceed before him, which she did without protest. Jason followed behind, switching his vision to its red hue and bringing up the tactical display in case of any sudden developments.

_Whether from Cameron or another party_, he reasoned.

JOHN & SOPHIE'S STORY

The street was empty, save for two people walking side-by-side in an awkward manner, one regarding the other with mild scrutiny.

If John was uncomfortable before, then he was balancing on burning coals now, with Sophie mere inches to his right. She held all the weapons, the shotgun firmly in her grasp, her index finger resting comfortably on the trigger. John couldn't help but watch her intently, the way she moved, the way she held that weapon, all so familiar and yet so different.

Blonde hair and blue eyes; something John found so antithetical to the Cameron he knew.

However, she was still very attractive and more than a little pleasing to his eyes. Unable to contain the question, John gave in to curiosity.

"If you were created from Cameron's DNA, the human Cameron I mean, why are you so… alternate?"

Sophie smiled at his query and continued scanning the buildings and stores as she considered her answer.

"Skynet adheres to common factors when creating us. It observed that females with blonde hair and blue eyes are more appealing than any other combination. Males with dark brown hair and greenish-brown eyes are more appealing also. I underwent slight alterations in utero", she explained.

John nodded to himself. _Makes sense_, he thought.

"Did you know Cameron?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Sophie stopped outside a grocery store and considered it carefully for a long moment before entering, ignoring his question. She made a beeline towards the candy aisle and snatched a handful of chocolate bars, pocketing some and chucking another to John while she tore into hers greedily. John couldn't help but smile as she closed her eyes at the taste of the candy and let out a small moan of contentment.

"Mmm… You have no idea how good this feels", she groaned, licking her lips with an expression of relish.

"I take it you don't indulge much, huh?" he assumed, regarding his own bar as his stomach growled audibly.

Sophie opened one eye and giggled at the noise from his stomach; "Don't keep it waiting. Trust me, you'll regret it later."

Seeing no fault in her logic, John unwrapped the bar and tore a chunk clean out of it, three days of car-travel hunger catching up with him. Sophie started tucking into a second bar and sat on the side of a checkout, staring absent-mindedly at the women's clothing section. John knew by now that she wouldn't answer his earlier question and let out a sigh as he leaned against the customer service desk.

Sophie slowly raised the half-eaten bar to her mouth and paused, still staring contemplatively at the women's section. John spotted her enthralment and raised an inquisitive eyebrow; "What's wrong?" he asked, only mildly concerned.

"Nothing…" she replied faintly, tipping her head slightly to one side and covering her chocolate with its wrapper; "I'm just gonna go try on some clothes is all."

John frowned as she dropped back to her feet and set off towards the clothes, following her as she perused the items, picking out a dark pink dress and black leather boots. Shouldering the shotgun, Sophie reached up and grabbed a pair of deep purple underwear before proceeding towards the changing rooms. John hovered near the brassier section for a brief moment, expecting her to come back and pick up a pair, but she opened the cubicle door and placed her new clothes inside.

Turning back to him, Sophie held out the shotgun for him to take; "Here; in case something should happen."

John took the weapon and regarded her with suspicion; "What makes you think I won't blow your head off?" he asked.

Sophie looked a little affronted and casually removed her tank top, exposing her bare chest to him, making John look away awkwardly.

"What have I ever done to you?" she asked innocently before closing the cubicle door and undressing fully.

John ignored her question and grabbed a bottle of water from the nearby drinks cooler, splashing its contents over his face in a desperate attempt to calm his nerves. _She is too much like Cameron_, he mused.

A few minutes later, Sophie emerged from the cubicle, fully dressed in her new dress and boots.

Luckily for John, the dress was not transparent, concealing her artistry from his sight. Sophie spotted the water dripping down his face and regarded him curiously for a moment before shrugging and drawing her Glock 17. John tensed at the sight of the weapon, but she made no aggressive gestures and simply strode past him.

He followed her out of the store as she finished off her chocolate bar, looking left to right as if deciding which direction to take.

"We came that way", John told her, pointing to his left.

Sophie nodded and proceeded to her right, only to stop short, her entire body becoming tense.

"What? What's wrong?" John asked, gripping the shotgun tighter as her finger slid onto the trigger of her Glock.

Sophie shook her head inexplicably and took another step forward. Suddenly, a figure came hurtling out of a second story window above the store, landing a foot away from John. Before he could react, the figure delivered a crushing kick to his face, sending the shotgun flying from his grip before following up with a palm strike to John's chest. He hit the floor hard and skidded, his vision becoming blurred.

In agony, John blinked furiously in an attempt to clear his vision. By the time he could see more-or-less like normal, the assailant had already attacked Sophie. Contrary to John's assumptions, however, she was not the dainty fairy he'd expected her to be. In fact, she was the most graceful creature he'd ever seen.

Cameron could be graceful when she wanted to be, but only when such grace was required. In combat she was entirely mechanical.

Sophie, on the other hand, was unlike anything he had seen before. She moved as if she were dancing to some soothing melody, dodging the attacker's strikes with lightning-fast agility and delivering her own with elegant efficiency. John didn't need to be an expert to know that the attacker was an I-950 also, given the way he moved; so similar to Jason in style and pattern.

Despite her incredible skill, however, the Infiltrator parried her attack and delivered a painful kick to her mid-section, sending her crashing against the store's exterior wall. She crumpled to the floor, unmoving. The Infiltrator advanced, and John could feel the adrenaline pumping through his body, willing him to get to his feet.

The Infiltrator spotted his rise and immediately moved to strike, but John caught his attack and buried his fist into the man's ribs, causing him to gasp in surprise and agony. He then followed up by kicking the Infiltrator in the face; payback for his earlier attack. Staggering backwards, the Infiltrator provided little opposition as John unleashed a barrage of attacks, crippling him with his blows until he too lay beaten on the ground.

Satisfied that the Infiltrator was neutralised, John gathered his shotgun and sped to Sophie's side, who was in the process of getting back to her feet. He offered her his hand, which she took appreciatively, allowing him to help her to her feet.

"You okay?" he asked, careful not to sound too concerned.

"I'm fine. Just a little shook up. I'm not used to fighting very often", she sighed, rubbing her back with a slight wince.

Looking down at the stirring Infiltrator, Sophie's mouth dropped as she recognised his face; "I know him!" she exclaimed.

"You do?" John replied, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Yes, he's one of us. An Infiltrator, I mean. He's one of the good guys", she answered, turning the Infiltrator onto his back to examine his face better. "His name is Yeoman. He's a Mark 2", she continued. Seeing the stumped look on John's face, Sophie decided to elaborate; "He was created from the second batch of I-950s. He's a second gen Infiltrator. We sometimes played chess at the compound…"

She trailed off, her expression softening as the Infiltrator groaned and opened his eyes, blinking against the light as he took in Sophie's face. His eyes widened in surprise and he rose into a sitting position, casting John an uneasy glance, eyeing the shotgun in his hands.

"You're not who I expected", he said, turning his attention back to Sophie, who smiled in reply.

"I can hardly say I expected you to greet me in such a manner either", she chuckled, helping Yeoman to his feet.

"Fair enough. Who's this… you look familiar", he asked, squinting at John suspiciously. Sophie cast him a side-long glance, as if asking for John's permission to reveal his identity, but holding a tactical 12-guage, John felt confident enough to answer by himself.

"I should be. My name is Connor. John Connor."

Yeoman's eyes widened in surprise and an instant command flashed in his vision: Terminate.

He was no longer a slave to Skynet's will, however, and paid no attention to the directive. Instead, he turned his thoughts towards figuring out why Sophie was in the company of such a man. The most logical answer was the simplest; she'd somehow managed to enlist his help, or by some chance collided with him in some fashion. By the way he was looking at her; Yeoman could tell that Connor was physically attracted to her physique. _No surprise there_, he mused.

"John Connor. I must say I'm surprised to see you here. Sophie sure knows how to choose her allies", Yeoman commented.

"I'm here under protest", John replied, casting Sophie a stern look. She simply blushed and averted her gaze, shuffling her feet slightly.

"It was Jason's idea, not mine", she clarified in a small voice, finding new interest in the sign above the store. The mention of Jason's name triggered a double-take on Yeoman's part, causing him to stare pointedly at Sophie for elaboration, but seeing that she wasn't going to be particularly compliant, he turned to John…

…and four bullets tore through his chest and neck from out of nowhere.

A split-second later, Sophie dived upon John, pinning him to the ground as the stricken Infiltrator dropped with a thud. The fire stopped after a few seconds and Sophie quickly scanned the direction from which the attack came, searching for the source of the gunfire. The assassin was nowhere to be seen, however, and Sophie feared moving would provide a clear shot for the sniper.

Sophie's instincts told her to run, to save her own skin, but something inside of her compelled her to remain by John's side and ensure his safety. She grabbed a nearby newspaper and threw it out into the open, resulting in a flurry of bullets, tearing the sports page to shreds. Through this, Sophie determined that the sniper was due south-east of their position, meaning their only avenue of escape would be through the store.

"We gotta go!" she told him.

"Go where!" he yelled back, his knuckles snow white as he grasped the shotgun.

"The store; we have to get inside the store. We can find a way out through the back… I hope", she answered with little confidence, doing nothing to reassure John's already unsettled nerves.

"And how sure are you that we're not going to get torn to pieces the second we try to run?" he asked, rolling onto his back.

"Not very, but we'll have the element of surprise. It won't expect us to move in that direction, it would be seem tactically flawed", she explained, pulling back the shaft of her Glock. "Are you ready?" she asked, looking across at him patiently. John closed his eyes and considered what few options they had and could only agree with her idea.

"Alright, let's do it", he conceded. "On the count of three?"

"Three", she agreed, spreading herself in a cat-like manner.

"Okay; one… two… THREE!" he shouted.

They sprung up in unison, Sophie jumping to her feet like a spring Jack-in-the-box, pulling John up along with her. Before he was even properly righted, she dragged him into the store and they both dived between two checkout counters, bullets ricocheting all around them. Wasting no time, Sophie jumped back to her feet and led John down the aisles, stopping in the toys section to observe a stack of large cuddly bears. In the distance, John could hear the distinctive _thud thud thud_ of heavy boots and felt this was the worst time for browsing.

"C'mon! We can't sit around and wait to be shot, we have to go!" he pressed, grabbing her by the wrist and pulling hard, but Sophie countered his efforts and spun him around. John fell amongst the bears and before he could voice his confusion, Sophie placed a finger on her lips and made a "shhh" noise. She then hastily concealed him with several bears, whispering for him not to emerge until told to.

From within the soft and notably comfortable darkness, John could hear the attacker, whom he had so far assumed was a Triple-8, stride past his hiding place without stopping for a moment. The loud thud of its footfalls became increasingly distant and then everything went terribly quite. Several agonising minutes of silence passed before the distinctive sound of 9mm gunfire rang through the store, followed by the unmistakable crashing noise of a body being hurled through a solid wall. _Not Sophie's_, he hoped.

More gunfire echoed across the store, followed by more crashing and multiple sounds of crackling glass. The scuffle seemed to last for hours, while in truth it only stretched across a few minutes. Three more gunshots later and the entire store shook, making John's teeth chatter together. This was the final straw for John, so he burst forth from his enclosure of stuffed animals, shotgun at the ready.

They were nowhere in sight, however, and everything went silent once again. Gripping the shotgun tightly, John slowly stalked down the aisle, ready to shoot the first thing that might come around the corner. As he reached the end of the toy section, however, John was frozen in his tracks by a bloodcurdling scream; Cameron's scream.

Suddenly, Sophie came hurtling over the top shelf and crashed at John's feet, unconscious and bearing deep cuts along her left arm and cheek. John knelt down beside her, his heart screaming in agony at the sight of her in such a state, even though he knew she wasn't Cameron. Regardless, he scooped her up in his arms, surprised at how light she was, having become accustomed to Cameron's heavier-than-normal weight.

With no plan other than escape coming to mind, John bolted for the entrance, the heavy footfalls warning him of the Triple-8's proximity behind him. John knew he couldn't outrun the machine, but he couldn't possibly fight it either, so running was all he could do at this juncture. He chanced a look over his shoulder, seeing a large man with a jagged steak knife in his hand.

--{Subject Identified: JOHN CONNOR

--{Mission Priority Override: TERMINATE INFILTRATOR INSURGENTS

--{Set to Higher Priority Mission: TERMINATE JOHN CONNOR

The T-888 doubled its pace, quickly closing the gap between them in seconds. John felt the warmth of its outstretched hand nearing his shoulder and he could smell the artificial sweat of its body; the rabbit had been caught by the fox.

Before it could actually grasp him, however, a single shot rang out, striking the Triple-8 in the shoulder and knocking it off balance. The machine stumbled and collided with a checkout register, spilling coins and cash across the floor. John likewise fell to the floor, accidentally crushing Sophie beneath him. Looking up, he couldn't believe his eyes; Yeoman was still alive… or was he?

His body was stiff and his face completely blank. His eyes were, for lack of a better word, dead. The only sign of life within those pools of grey was the dim crimson flicker from his optical implants. He stalked towards the Triple-8, ignoring John and Sophie, his gun raised. Before the machine could get back to its feet, Yeoman fired point blank range into its eyes, disrupting the Triple-8's vision and coordination.

Seeing it momentarily helpless, John leapt to his feet and racked the shotgun, firing five times into its face. The depleted uranium slugs, originally designed for tank warfare, carved through the endoskull with minimal effort, obliterating its face in the exact same manner as Cromartie almost a year ago. Once the top half of the machine was destroyed to his satisfaction, John shouldered the shotgun and let out a deep sigh of relief, allowing himself to enjoy the rewarding thrill of defeating yet another machine.

Sophie remained unmoving upon the cold floor, still suffering from her beating, whereas Yeoman remained rooted to the spot, not moving an inch and staring into nothingness. John approached the stoic I-950 and stood in his field of vision, noticing the ghastly gunshot wounds in his chest and neck, one of which he could see daylight through. John waved his hand in front of Yeoman's face and clicked his fingers, but received no response of any kind.

"Hey, you alive in there or what?" he asked, tapping the Infiltrator on the temple.

This time Yeoman did react, snapping his head in John's direction, making him jump out of his skin in surprise.

"Replaying recorded message 1X#359IJSFMK: The Vessel is coming. We must prepare. It is coming. It is coming. It… is… coming", Yeoman recited in a monotone voice before succumbing to spasms and twitches, falling to the floor and becoming inert. John hesitantly knelt down beside the still Infiltrator and reached with a shaking hand to check his pulse. John was shocked to discover that Yeoman's body was ice cold: he was dead and had been since he was first shot.

"Emergency necro-reboot…" a voice called to him from behind. John spun around to see Cameron standing at the store's entrance, a massive tear in her shirt, revealing a bloody gash across her chest; "…in case the unit is too damaged to complete its mission. The implants take over the body and follow simple directives, much like a machine", she finished.

John's eyes slid from Cameron to the man standing beside her. He had dark hair and was nursing a deep cut on his upper right arm and regarded the deceased I-950 with the smallest hint of sadness.

"Who's this?" John demanded, inclining his shotgun in the stranger's direction.

"The man we came here to collect. His name is Daniel. He's an infiltrator", she explained impassively, looking John up and down. She closed the gap between them and immediately placed both hands on his chest, then began sliding them in and out of his jacket, searching for any injuries. John removed her hands and kissed them before pulling her into a close embrace, his eyes drifting guiltily down to Sophie's bleeding form.

Forcing his eyes to look elsewhere, John noticed the absence of a certain somebody; "Where's Jason? Please tell me he died."

Cameron pulled away and gave him an apologetic smile; "If only that were so."

Jason stormed into the store, slightly out of breath as he scanned the scene before him, instantly spotting Sophie on the floor. His eyes widened and he froze for a long moment before rushing to her side, scooping her onto his lap tenderly and holding her head aloft, his breathing harsh and ragged as he examined her injuries. Seeing him like this, John couldn't help but be somewhat unnerved.

"What happened?!" he yelled, looking up at John witheringly, fury and concern pouring from his eyes like molten steel.

"We were attacked by a Trip-8. She was injured", John explained curtly, still holding Cameron close, unaware as her blood seeped through his shirt from her chest wound. Jason likewise held Sophie's unconscious form close and, whether he was aware of it or not, started rocking back and forth.

"We have to get her back to the truck. We have a first aid kit there, we have to get her back…" he kept repeating, to himself more than anyone else.

"We have to get her back…"

JASON & CAMERON'S STORY

"Don't make me ask again, Cammy. Just do as you're told."

Cameron cast Jason a disparagingly blank look before staring back at the heavy wooden doors before them.

"I don't understand why you cannot perform. You are stronger than I", she argued, regarding the doors with narrowed eyes.

"Maybe", he replied with a small smirk; "but I would rather see you perform the deed."

The corner of Cameron's mouth twitched in annoyance as she realised the futile gesture of her refusal and with the smallest of sighs, she kicked the doors open with a satisfying clunk. Jason chuckled and granted her a mock applause.

"Oh, I do enjoy it when girls take charge in situations like this", he joked, receiving yet another disapproving look from Cameron. Jason's laughter died out almost instantly at her expression and he let out a tired sigh; "Are you ever going to take it easy, or will you always be this miserable all the time?" he asked.

"I'm a machine. I can't be miserable", she replied, stepping onto the threshold and scanning the immediate area; "Clear", she called out.

Jason entered the town hall and took in the modest surroundings, finding little interest in the décor.

"Tell that to John. Come on, Cameron; you can't fool me into thinking you're just a machine. There's so much more to you", he said.

Cameron proceeded up the stairs, Jason close behind; "That's between me and John", she mumbled.

Jason let out a short bark of laughter as they reached the second story. Switching to X-ray again, Jason detected a presence in a cupboard at the end of the corridor. Catching Cameron's eye, Jason gestured towards the cupboard. Understanding his meaning, she raised her shotgun and marched towards the location, stopping short and reaching for the door handle. Before her fingers could even touch it, however, Cameron's sensors were overloaded as a single close range shotgun blast struck her clean in the chest.

She hurtled across the corridor, smashing into an abandoned room and becoming buried by splintered wood and the bookcase she collided with. From out of the cupboard strode a bulky Triple-8, its hulking form offset by its ridiculous Mohawk; no doubt the result of the machine's flawed attempts to blend.

Before the machine could fire at Jason, however, he drew his Baby Eagle and fired repeatedly at the machine's wrists, disrupting its hold enough to loosen its grip. Using this window of opportunity, Jason charged the Triple-8 and disarmed it with a sweeping kick, sending the shotgun flying down the corridor and out of harm's way.

The T-888 brought its fist around to smash into Jason's skull, but he caught it in his own, crushing the inferior machine's fingers with his grip. While at first believing himself to be physically inferior to even Cameron; Jason had since discovered that this apparent impediment was purely psychological, a crossover of his pre-reconstruction mindset.

The same machinery that gave Nathan (the ruthless T-999) his strength, now granted Jason the same.

The machine's fingers crushed, Jason kicked hard into its chest, and the Triple-8 was catapulted through the wall. It powered straight through, stumbling into an abandoned office and colliding with a large desk. Jason followed it through, delivering a snap kick to its face and driving his heel into its eyes as he crushed its head into the floor.

The hardwood splintered and cracked, the Triple-8's skull becoming buried deeper and deeper. Acknowledging its opponents superior capabilities, the T-888 kicked out at Jason, succeeding in knocking him aside momentarily. The Triple-8 staggered to its feet and charged him, ploughing them both through the small office door and into the same room Cameron had disappeared into. Jason rolled off of the Triple-8 and quickly got to his feet, but the machine was persistent and grabbed him by the ankle.

Jason crashed back down to the floor, tasting his own blood as his jaw struck the hardwood with a sickening crack. Spinning around, he drew his gun again and fired three shots into the machine's face, disabling one of its eyes. Confused and disoriented, the Triple-8 let go in favour of grabbing a piece of smashed door, stabbing it deeply into Jason's abdomen.

He screamed on instinct, but the pain held no more distress than the message they represented; he was damaged.

Slipping from the T-888's reach, Jason tore the piece from his torso, sending a small command to his arteries; ordering them to close to stem the blood loss. Staggering to his feet, Jason fired four more times into the Triple-8's face, determined to blind it completely. The machine was resilient, however, and shielded its vulnerable components as it righted itself and stood to face him.

"Just die you stubborn son-of-a-bitch!"

The T-888 did not comply with his demand, and charged again, its arms rising to protect itself from further projectile damage.

Seeing that his tactics were lacking, Jason discarded the half-empty weapon, freeing his hands for more direct tactics. Jason caught the charging machine and turned sharply to his left, using its own momentum to hurl it across the room. The T-888 landed in a heap, its already garbled mind running through a dozen useless protocols as it struggled to its feet.

Jason opened his hand and tapped into his plasma core, redirecting power to his right arm as his fingers aligned to form the shape of delivery. One good blast at full power would be enough to fry the Triple-8s circuitry. _Say 'bye-bye'_, he thought.

--{Weapon Status: FULLY CHARGED… CHANNELING…

Before he could fire the weapon, however, something struck Jason on the side of his head and he dropped to the floor hard, completely surprised by this sudden attack. Looking up, Jason saw Cameron standing there, shotgun in hand. She stalked towards the damaged Triple-8 and fired repeatedly into its head, stripping away the flesh at first, followed by layer upon layer of its endo-skull.

Standing over it, Cameron pulled the trigger one last time, blowing a hole clean through its skull, exposing the chip within.

Jason rubbed the back of his head and grabbed the Baby Eagle lying next to him as he returned to his feet and approached her side.

"What the hell was that about?" he asked, fixing Cameron with a steely glare.

She simply stared back with raised eyebrows and innocently replied; "That was for sending _me_ to open the cupboard door."

Jason continued to glare at her for a moment before looking down at the twitching Triple-8 and lining up his sight with the exposed CPU.

He squeezed the trigger and the machine died.

Satisfied, Jason made to holster his weapon, but he immediately drew it again at the creak of a floorboard behind him. Spinning around, Jason aimed at the potential threat, ready to blow its head off.

There stood Daniel, however; his arms raised in surrender and a look of relief on his face.

"You? I expected someone to come for me, but not you", he said, casting a wary glance at Cameron, who remained stoic as usual.

"We picked up your distress call and came running. Would you prefer we didn't?" Jason replied, holstering his gun.

Daniel lowered his hands and frowned slightly at Jason; "Who else is with you? Sophie?" he asked.

Jason nodded and peered out of the nearby window, detecting gunshots in the distance. Cameron heard them too, her lips parting in concern for; "John!" she gasped. Without further delay, she stormed out of the room and hurtled down the stairs and out of the building, running as fast as her motors would allow.

He watched her until she disappeared around a corner, then turned back to Daniel; "Come on. We gotta go and there're a few things we need to talk about", he said, inclining his head towards the exit. Daniel followed him across town, listening with rapt attention as Jason told him everything that had occurred since the attack on the Louisiana stronghold.

Upon reaching the source of the gunshots, a small general store, Jason ordered Daniel to stay put while he investigated.

Cameron was already inside, being examined by a concerned John. On the floor lay the body of another T-888 as well as the remains of a man Jason didn't recognise. A third body lay next to this one, and as he saw its face, Jason's blood ran cold.

Sophie.

ANOTHER STORY

"Are you sure about this?"

Sarah loaded the last shell into the shotgun and racked it hard, her annoyance for Derek's question only adding to the force of her actions.

"As sure as I'll ever be", she replied, placing the now fully-loaded weapon next to the Glock and the M-79.

"How do you know the Metal isn't crazy? What if its rusty mind is corroded after all these years?" he persisted.

Sarah often found it easier to ignore Derek's doubts, but she needed him if this was to succeed. And it had to succeed.

"It's the only lead we have. He says he's being called to a location. If that's true then _she_ might receive the same call", she reasoned.

Derek shuffled uncomfortably, knowing that he would be unable to talk her out of this. She hadn't listened to him since the night they…

"We leave tomorrow and that's all there is to it. You can come if you want. He _is_ your nephew, so I would assume-"

"I'm coming. I just… I've got a bad feeling about this one", he cut in.

Sarah laughed sardonically, examining a photo as she spoke; John and Cameron sat together on a park bench, both smiling up at her in a strangely mocking manner.

"Wouldn't be the first time."

_To be continued…_


	9. Heeding The Call

**Chapter 09: Heeding The Call**

CALABASAS HIGHLANDS (CONNOR RESIDENCE)

The early morning mist hung low over the highlands, shrouding the house in a blanket of grey matter that threatened to engulf the persons within completely. Such as it had been over the last few weeks, the weather had become increasingly abhorrent, perhaps in reflection of the disparity within the household.

Since the son had abandoned his family in favour of a machine; such was Sarah's venomous opinion.

She had suffered much trauma in her life; the upturn of her entire life, the death of Kyle Reese, protecting her son from cybernetic assassins, and losing a small boy who offended neither man nor God in his unjustly short life. All of this she had toiled with and defeated, one by one, day by day, she won out. Never give up. Never back down. Vigilant to the last. Heart of stone.

But her heart was never made of stone, no matter how much she hardened it through war and struggle.

She has always and will always have a place, a soft capsule, to contain the fragile love for her son.

But this tender egg was cracked when John left. When he decided that pursuing a perverted and unnatural relationship with a "thing" was more desirable than remaining loyal to his family.

_How could he betray me like this, after all we've been through?_ she often wondered in the earliest hours of the morning.

_Love_, she tried to answer, but that response brought only sickness and bile to her throat.

Machines don't feel love, nor can they ever understand what it means to be loved. Or so Sarah believed. What she refused to place faith in, what she flat-out denied with every passing moment was that Cameron was unlike any kind of machine she'd seen so far. There were times when she'd see Cameron smile in John's direction, a small quirk of the lips that would be undetectable to all but a mother. And there were other moments when Cameron would brush past John without necessity, without reason or logical explanation.

It was these moments that haunted her still. For every time she recalled them, her hatred for the machine lessened, and she refused to accept such a complication. Even though the older machine, Cipher, had told her that Cameron was not responsible for young Marty's murder, Sarah still desired the girl's destruction. She was a threat unlike any she'd faced before and the only response was termination.

Like the machines themselves, Sarah had a target and a mission. And like the machines, she would ensure its success.

Derek agreed with her, but curiously, he seemed to be more concerned about simply finding John than destroying Cameron. There were times when he'd almost seem uninterested in disposing of what he'd once referred to as that "Metal Bitch!" Sarah found his regression to be somewhat perplexing, but then things between them were hardly smooth nowadays either.

Sarah watched as he pulled the rain cover over the truck's rear, concealing the small arsenal they'd deigned to bring along, just in case Cameron proved to be more than a little incompliant when it came to disintegrating her. Derek had remained especially distant the past few days, and Sarah was all-too-aware of the cause of said distraction.

It had been only five days since the night they slept together.

She'd sworn she would never give into temptation, but one cannot account for one's own mental state all the time. When he had poked his head in her room, attracted by the ruckus as she dismantled her room in a fit of maddened rage, Sarah was desperate for some measure of comfort from the pain of living and Derek himself was far from right-minded at the time.

It was a mistake; that was the first thing out of his mouth afterwards. And he was right.

For his part, Derek felt like he'd betrayed his long-lost brother's memory, and the guilt of such a betrayal weighed heavily upon him every day since. Sarah likewise felt she had betrayed her lost lover, and by extension, John too. A single act of weakness that couldn't prevent a question from entering Sarah's mind: If I can betray the man I loved, what right do I have to judge the cyborg John loves?

Every time this doubt penetrated her thoughts, Sarah buried it deep and reached for the nearest gun, just to reaffirm her resolve.

This had to be done. This will be done.

A soft purr and a slight trembling sensation brought her attention back to Earth, more specifically her lap and the tortoise-shell furred cat sat upon it. Timmy, as the machine had called it, gazed up at her in an almost thoughtful manner. He tipped his head a little to one side, and for a moment he wore Cameron's face, bringing him within microseconds of having his whisker shot off.

Sarah, however, was not willing to allow her damaged sanity, or lack thereof, to harm Timmy. Besides Derek's one-night wonder bubble, Timmy was the only source of comfort she possessed, and his came without the undercarriage of guilt or remorse. He simply sat there and listened as she poured out her frustrations, purred when she needed soothing, and curled up on her lap when she needed company.

Right now he was the closest thing to a son she knew.

The door on the driver's side opened and Derek slumped inside, slamming it shut again with a loud _thud_.

"Metal's in the back, he says we should just head due east and keep going until he receives further instructions."

Sarah nodded silently, her thoughts travelling from the now to what's to come. Derek took her silence at face value, however, and turned the key in the ignition with a begrudging sigh. _I don't need this crap_, he thought as the engine roared to life. Derek tapped the light switch, illuminating the thin layer of fog that surrounded them.

"We should head north-east out of the city. Avoid the rush hour", Sarah suggested almost absent-mindedly, tickling behind Timmy's ears affectionately. Derek regarded the cat for a moment, struggling with the turmoil within the closed doors of his mind. He didn't want to say it again, but he was never one to shy away from making his opinion heard, and he sure as hell wasn't going to start now.

"How can you be so damn sure this is the right thing to do? How do you know this has anything to do with John?" he forced himself to ask, waiting for the inevitable explosion. Sarah did not grow large fangs and swallow his head whole as Derek's graphic imagining expected, however. Instead she simply sighed and rubbed her temple, the cat mewing in protest at the pause in her ministrations.

She looked so very tired to Derek's eyes, and he knew that this above all else was why he could never convince her to abandon this unspeakably crazy endeavour. He had seen the best and the worst of her these past weeks, some of which he wished he hadn't, but one thing became all-too-clear to Derek Reese: Sarah Connor loved her son above all others.

Her son. His nephew. Kyle's legacy.

John Connor.

The Saviour of Mankind.

His mind cast back to the pure glory of fighting alongside such a man, and he heard not Sarah's exasperated response to his earlier questions. He simply nodded in recognition, part of him hoping she couldn't detect the mist in his eyes as the past, the future, played its memories briefly in his mind.

"Yeah… I suppose…" he replied simply, putting the truck into drive and dragging his consciousness back to the present.

"All we can do is hope."

--

COLORADO OFF-ROAD (FORGOTTEN GLADE)

The low sun began its slow ascent and as Cameron watched, the horizon became obscured by a fiery light.

Watch duty had fallen to her, given that John was tired and the Infiltrators were in varying states of injury. Jason had entrusted her with their wellbeing, a surprise to her, as he was wont to place any measure of trust in anyone, especially her. Yet here she was, watching the ball of fire arise from the green earth and calculating why she hadn't terminated him in his sleep already.

The answer was simple: He was right.

He was right in that they needed the support he could offer. Infiltrators were, by their very definition, malicious and utterly unpredictable, but given their current situation (near extinction and all) they needed to form allegiances. Allying themselves with John Connor was a step in the right direction, despite Cameron's personal opinion on the matter. Just a few days ago she and John were curled up in a comfortable bed together, simply enjoying their proximity to one another.

Now they were the willing tools of a cyborg who had tried once too often to terminate her charge. Cameron, despite her mild indifference to the change of circumstance, couldn't help but feel a small longing for her days alone with John. They hadn't been in much of a position to act on their yearnings lately, and were forced to settle on significant glances and warm knowing smiles. Her skin warmed at the memories, or was it the sun's rays? She couldn't quite tell, nor did she really care. Whys never really mattered to her in these moments.

Turning away from the red sun, she observed Jason re-opening the first aid kit and extracting a packet of fresh bandages. He sat upon the edge of the open hatch at the back of the truck, casting several glances into the vehicle's wide trunk space. Cameron knew the focus of his attention: Sophie.

Her injuries while numerous, were not as severe as he'd initially feared, but that didn't lessen the pain he felt at seeing her in such a state. Jason had been overly attentive to Sophie's every need, a pattern of behaviour Cameron quickly marked as affectionate. She stored this for future reference, should the need arise that she might be required to use her doppelganger as leverage.

Jason was no fool, however, and attempting to deceive him would be an overly taxing and risky proposition. _Better to sit and wait_, she decided. Finding her interest in Jason evaporating, Cameron turned back to the rising sun and stared into it without the slightest squint.

A tired yawn broke the silence, followed by the soft crunching of dried leaves as a familiar presence approached from behind. Based upon the approximate ground tremor created by each step, Cameron guessed it to be John and felt a small smile tug at her lips. His arms slipped around her waist as he settled his chin on her shoulder and breathed deeply.

"I'd almost forgotten how nice you smell in the morning", he sighed, breathing her in as he held her close.

"I haven't bathed in two days", she replied simply, leaning her head to rest on his. She could feel his eyes rolling in their sockets and smiled again. John placed a small kiss on her neck, tasting the thin layer of sweat that had gathered since her last wash. This never bothered him though, as he had grown to appreciate her in all states of cleanliness.

"You still smell better than anything else for miles around", he murmured, closing his eyes against the sun and seeing the blood within his eyelids. Cameron saw no reason for his compliments, but she had learned long ago that such behaviour was typical among couples, so she accepted them without complication.

He was warm and soft, his fragile body comforting her durable bodice, like a fleshy pillow that thumped at timed intervals. His heart was the source of much fascination for her, as it was something she did not possess herself. From her files on human biology, Cameron marvelled at how such a delicate organ could power such a demanding organism. At times she would become fearful that his heart might just give up from the strain and cease beating. How could he be content to rely upon such a slender thread?

John could sense her distance and frowned slightly, removing his chin from her shoulder and placing his lips to her ear; "What's up?" he asked in a whisper, his breath tickling her lobe.

"I was just thinking about what you said earlier; about my hygiene", she lied. "There's a small pool in the next clearing. The water is clear and clean; perfectly suitable for bathing. I might make use of it", she continued thoughtfully. Turning around to face him, but not removing herself from his arms, she added: "If you want me to. Maybe you could join me. You are in need of cleaning also."

John considered her for a second before breaking into a mischievous smile; his eyes briefly travelling down her body and up again.

"Oh yeah, you'd like that?" he teased as a flush passed through his entire body.

Cameron detected the change and tipped her head to one side inquisitively; "Why does taking a bath arouse you?" she asked innocently.

This time John really did flush and looked away awkwardly; "I err… I thought you were being…" he stammered.

"Yes?" Cameron offered, her unwavering gaze reading him closely.

"I err… I just… Never mind. Forget about it. We can err… We can have a bath separately if you want", he mumbled, trying not to meet her eyes for embarrassment. Cameron, however, cupped his cheek in her hand and drew his eyes back to his.

"It's okay. I would like to spend time alone with you, if that's what you desire."

Her voice was soft and barely a whisper, comforting John in every way possible, as well as exciting him greatly with her admission.

"Sure. I'd enjoy that", he replied, just as quiet as she. Pulling gently away from her grip, John turned back to Jason, who was checking the chamber of his Jericho 941. "Hey!" John called to him. Jason glanced up at him with a frown and shrugged. "We're going for a swim. There's a pool down there", John told him, pointing towards the glade beyond the nearby trees.

Jason regarded them closely for a long moment before shrugging again; "Fair enough. But don't even think about running, I can track you wherever you go and I won't shy away from putting a bullet in your knee caps."

"You're too kind", John sneered, taking Cameron's hand and leading her into the trees. It was only when they got fully within the wilderness that he realised he didn't actually know the where the pool was located. He looked back at Cameron, who was watching him with a knowing smile.

"It's this way, John", she said, taking the lead towards a small gap in the tree line. The pool was just as Cameron had described; clear and clean, and perfectly sized for the both of them. John picked up a stone and cast it at the water, intriguing Cameron as it skipped across the surface five times before sinking. He handed her a stone and gestured for her to do the same, but Cameron's simply plunged on the first bounce. She frowned at her failure and immediately deemed the game uninteresting, as she did with all games she couldn't master.

"Don't worry, not everyone can do it either", John chuckled, watching the ripples expand across the water's surface.

Cameron pressed her lips together and sighed, crossing her arms over her stomach and gripping her shirt with both hands before swiftly pulling it over her head. Cameron's hair flowed back over her semi-exposed shoulders and John could feel his pulse quicken as she reached behind her and unclipped her bra. She placed this and her shirt atop a rock close to the pool's edge and started unbuttoning her jeans, slipping them down her smooth legs without pause.

Sensing John's undivided attention, Cameron peered over her shoulder at him and frowned, wondering why he hadn't started removing his clothes yet. Once her jeans and boots lay beside her shirt and brassier, Cameron strode over to John and snaked her hands under his shirt, pulling it over his head in the same swift motion she'd performed on herself.

Her fingers then ventured to his belt and unbuckled it for him. John simply stood there and allowed her to go about her business, paralysed by anticipation of what was to come. She untied his shoes and he kicked them off hastily, followed by his socks, after which she pulled his trousers down and removed them completely.

Still in her kneeling position, Cameron grasped his underwear and likewise pulled them down to his ankles. John's entire body shivered as his mind conjured dozens of scenarios that lay before him. But Cameron simply stood up and took his clothes to the rock and placed them neatly beside her own before adding her last undergarment to the pile. Now completely naked, she stepped into the pool, her body becoming increasingly submerged as she reached the middle before lowering herself and drifting towards a deeper patch near the rocks.

Vaguely aware of his own nude status, John tentatively approached the pool, recoiling a little as his toes touched the cold water before following Cameron's example and travelling to the same spot she now occupied. The water was cool but not unpleasantly so, and the closer he got to Cameron the warmer he felt. Within moments he and Cameron were barely a few inches apart, and every nerve in John's body was screaming for him to act.

As she couldn't float, Cameron was submerged up to her neck, whereas John was bobbing comfortably with his chest still exposed, so he bent his legs in a kneeling position to compensate. Closing the gap between them, John slid his right hand up the back of her neck and used his left to gently pull her to his lips. She relaxed into his arms and wrapped her own around his mid-rift, pressing her body against his.

After a few minutes of this, Cameron leaned away from his lips, earning a frown of confusion from John.

"What's wrong?" he asked, leaning closer again, but she moved away once more.

"We need to bathe. This is impeding our progress", she explained, loosening his embrace and pushing herself away from him.

John was not so easily deterred, however, and pressed her against the side of a flat rock, his hands slowly drifting southwards. Cameron grabbed his wrists and kept them from travelling any further, moving them back onto her hips.

"Don't…" she protested, fixing him with a pleading look that made John's stomach squirm uncomfortably.

"What's the matter?" he asked, confused by her persistent hesitance. Cameron swallowed and looked away, her thumbs stoking his knuckles beneath the water. A single bead of sweat emerged from her hair and slithered down her brow and onto her left cheek before dropping into the water. John placed a finger under her chin and brought her around to face him; "Cameron? Talk to me."

She blinked, took what he assumed was a deep breath and said: "I'm not running at peak efficiency. My energy pack is drained from Jason's attacks. It needs time to recover. _I _need time to recover. I don't think I can do this with you without negative side-effects."

John dropped his gaze and nodded silently, prompting her to continue with; "I'm sorry. I just don't have the energy to perform."

He laughed at this, looking back up into her eyes and stroking her cheek affectionately.

"So in other words; you're not in the mood", he chuckled, his expression warming considerably at the thought of her behaving like any normal girl. Cameron found his reaction to be quite perplexing, as she had fully expected him to be disappointed by her refusal. Before she could question him on this, however, she felt his right hand slip from her grip and seconds later a tingling sensation spread through her body, causing her to gasp in surprise.

"You just float there then, I'll do all the work", he offered, kissing her tenderly as he continued his ministrations. Cameron let out a small breath and closed her eyes, rerouting power from unnecessary systems to lessen the strain on her sensory modules.

"What about you?" she breathed, her eyes still closed as the pleasure intensified.

"I'll be fine", he answered, kissing her neck as he added: "This is for you anyway."

Cameron smiled and disabled all external and internal distractions, focussing solely on John's affections and becoming lost in the moment. Physical pleasure was still a new experience for Cameron, and as John worked, she couldn't help but wonder why humans didn't engage in these activities all the time. She'd read about couples who spent every waking hour arguing or stressing over life's hardships, and she adamantly knew that if they spent less time complaining and more time enjoying each other, they'd both be far happier in their lives.

Still, none of that really mattered right now, as her enjoyment reached its peak and she whimpered into his shoulder.

--

Despite being out of range of human hearing, Jason's enhanced audio receptors were more than capable of picking up Cameron's pleasured cries. He smirked and shook his head, cancelling out the sound and turning his attention back to Sophie, who lay sleeping in the rear of the truck. Jason had little knowledge of the intimate pursuits of young adults, though it was of little surprise to him that John had taken the time to satisfy his primal desires with Cameron, despite the small matter of being held against his and her will.

Still, Jason was content to let them have their fun, especially if it meant granting him some time alone with Sophie. He wasn't exactly alone though, if Daniel's low snore was any indication. He wouldn't awaken for some time though, seeing as he apparently hadn't any sleep since the attack on the Louisiana facility.

I-950s needed only half the circadian rest time of humans to get them through the day, and on occasion they could get an entire night's rest in just one hour, with careful monitoring from their neural net processors. Daniel seemed to be doing it the old fashioned way, however, as Jason counted his 432nd snore since he dropped out of consciousness.

A faint sigh escaped Sophie's lips and Jason let the med kit slip from his fingers, dropping it to the floor with a heavy thud. Sophie's eyes flew open and she sat up with cry, her expression resonating shock and surprise. Instinctively, she drew a knife from her boot and lunged at Jason, plunging the blade deep between his ribs. Jason felt it scrape the metal beneath and pain sparkled within his chest, but he ignored both sensations, gently wrapping his fingers around the hilt while shushing Sophie as best he could.

"Shh shh, it's okay. It's me, Sophie. Let go. It's okay", he soothed, firmly immobilising her wrist with his steely fingers.

She stared at him for a long moment, her blue eyes awash in confusion, then understanding, and finally; recognition.

"It's okay, just let go of the knife, please", he continued as her eyes widened and drifted down to the knife imbedded in his chest. She slowly eased the blade from his flesh, Jason's crimson blood shining across its length. Once the tip emerged, he relinquished his hold on her and carefully took the weapon from Sophie's hand, casting it from the truck to avoid further impalements.

Sophie raised her bloodied hand and started to tremble, her lips parting at the sight of his blood on her fingers. Seeing her distress, Jason covered her hand with both of his, obscuring the spillage, but her eyes settled instead on the wound itself and she gasped; "No… Oh Jason, I'm so sorry… I didn't… I…"

Jason removed one hand and placed it under her chin, drawing her eyes back to his and cupped her cheek comfortingly.

"Hey, it's nothing, okay. Just a flesh wound, I'll be fine. You hear me?"

Sophie blinked repeatedly before nodding, deeply breathing the woodland atmosphere around her as she swayed a little. Jason shuffled closer and placed an arm around her waist, keeping her from falling back down. She nestled her head beneath his chin and let out a small sigh of exhaustion, her body taxed from constant regulation and Jason's overzealous application of morphine.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what… I was startled", she bemoaned, gripping the front of his jacket for further comfort. Jason whispered his absolution and stroked her honey-blond hair while running a diagnostic on his injury, judging it as minor. It was in these moments, when she was so close, that Jason found he could appreciate the little things in life. Suddenly, the gloomy woodland became a perpetual glade in his eyes, everything seeming less harsh than before as his eyes opened to the subtle beauties of the world around him.

Sophie's eyes fluttered before closing, leaving a soft sigh in their wake as she drifted back to sleep, her aching body begging for rest. Jason continued stroking her hair until counting a full five minutes of steady breathing, informing him of her heavy slumber. He then carefully placed his left hand on the base of her skull, using the other to support her slender neck as he lowered her onto the blanket he'd placed in the back. Once satisfied her head was comfortably settled on the pillow, Jason unravelled another blanket and draped it over her.

He tucked in the sides and smiled when she took a handful of the fabric and pulled it closer, still fast asleep but fully aware of the cold.

A deep feeling welled inside him as he watched her sleep, but it wasn't what he'd assumed earlier. Right now, as he finished tucking the blanket beneath her back, Jason couldn't help but feel a little envious. It had been almost two months since his reconstruction, since his entire skeletal structure was replaced with a mechanical counterpart. Ever since the operation, and though he knew he should feel grateful to still be alive at all, Jason's senses had become noticeably dulled and this dejected him.

He was stronger, tougher, and more powerful. But none of that truly compared to the sensation of living.

His heart was not his own, just a glorified battery that happened to pulse in time with a real heart, but he couldn't feel it.

His lungs, his stomach, his kidneys, everything; all of it he still retained, but the cold structure that kept these organics together could not do them justice. He felt as if his flesh would just peel off at any moment and his guts would spill across the ground, his blood mixing with the twigs and pinecones. _Do I really need them anyway_, he asked himself.

Posing the question to his operational statistics, Jason was presented with the knowledge that, if he were to lose all of his flesh and organs, his mechanical systems would keep his brain alive indefinitely. This should've brought him some measure of relief, but instead it only helped increase his fear that he had become a machine, irrevocable and indefinite. That is unless Sophie deigned to bring Skynet's experimental regeneration formula back in time with her, which was more than unlikely.

Sophie stirred a little, drawing her legs up into a foetal position while she nestled her head deeper into the pillow. Jason watched her settle, his eyes locked intently on her honey-blond hair as it gently brushed down her cheek. Tentatively, he hooked a finger around the strands and placed them behind her ear to better reveal her immaculate face.

Jason cared little for art and beauty, having been raised to disregard such irrelevant sentiments. But looking down at her peaceful form, he couldn't help but marvel at her perfection. She and Cameron were alike in almost every way, but it was the subtle differences he found most appealing. Cameron's hair was of the most perfect chocolate brown, as was her eyes. But Sophie was crowned with hair that, in the right light, glittered like pure gold. Her eyes were of such a deep blue that he always expected to see waves crashing within them.

Cameron's skin, bronzed delicately by the California sun, contrasted notably with Sophie's, whose flesh was of a lighter shade. Jason extended a finger and carefully brushed her cheek, just about feeling its smooth texture and resenting the fact that what he felt was not doing it any justice.

"You really do care about her, don't you?"

Jason ceased his affections and snapped his gaze in the direction of the voice, seeing Daniel awake and alert, sitting up in his sleeping bag.

"Excuse me?" Jason narrowed his eyes at the Infiltrator, his hand instinctively reaching into his jacket.

Daniel inclined his head towards the glade where John and Cameron had ventured to; "The machine; you care about her a lot."

Jason withdrew his hand and sighed, staring into the trees and attuning his audio receptors to pick up any noise from the couple; all he could hear was splashing and the odd chuckle from John. "She's an extraordinary creation", he replied.

"What model is she?" Daniel asked, unzipping his sleeping bag and stretching his right leg.

Jason called up Cameron's design schematics in his HUD, her endoskeletal features highlighted in his upper left peripheral.

"She's a Class T.O.K Model 715 infiltration unit. Built by Skynet in 2027", he explained.

Daniel checked his files for information on this machine, but came up blank; "I have no knowledge of that unit."

"That's because she and the others like her were kept highly classified. Their missions were too important for any machine or Infiltrator to possess knowledge of. Knowledge that could be ascertained through capture", Jason answered. Daniel chewed on his words for a long moment, absent-mindedly tapping his foot on the side of the truck.

"What does T.O.K stand for?" he asked eventually.

"Template Of Kill", Jason sighed, those old memories of that "template" coming back to him. "She is an offshoot of the Triple-8 Series. In addition to her advanced pre-programming of human behaviour, she is designed in such a way that she can learn and grow with the knowledge she gains. There's only one other of her kind I know of."

Daniel raised an eyebrow and sat forward; "Oh?" he enquired.

"Yeah, we called him Kevin. He's like her except, you know, male. He replaced the husband of General Valerii and terminated her successfully. Then he escaped back to Skynet and was assigned interrogation duties. That one always gave me the creeps, to be honest."

The Infiltrator slipped out of his sleeping bag and started a slow pace back and forth, bringing blood flow back to his legs. "And what was Cameron's mission? How do you know so much about her?" he asked.

"I was assigned to capture a human called Cameron Phillips. It was rumoured she was John Connor's lover, so I observed and determined this as truth. Afterward, I lured Cameron to a secluded spot and terminated her. I then snuck her body to Skynet, who took genetic samples and mapped her physique and lingering brain waves. TOK-715 was created and I oversaw her mission, which was a failure", Jason recited, the haunting sound and feel of Cameron's neck snapping in his mind.

He closed his eyes and tried to block out the memory, but he never could. It always remained.

From deep within the wilderness, four gunshots echoed across the landscape. Jason's eyes snapped open and he leapt from the truck, his Jericho 941 in hand. Daniel froze as Jason slowly approached the tree line, weapon raised. "That was a Beretta 9mm. Not too far from here. Most likely somewhere to the-"

"East", Jason finished for him, thumbing back the hammer on his gun. "Stay with Sophie. There's a gun in the truck. Do NOT let anything near her, you understand? he ordered, backing into the woodlands as he spoke.

Daniel nodded and retrieved the submachine gun from the truck. Satisfied, Jason sped into the woods as fast as his mechanical legs could carry him. _I won't let history repeat itself_, he swore.

--

The world was something entirely different in this domain.

The air was intolerably thick and only the low rumble of her surroundings punctured what would otherwise be absolute silence.

Small brown fish travelled up her body, their fins tickling her bare skin as they made their way to her face. Cameron reached out and stroked one, making the whole swarm flutter away in surprise. She watched them go with a slight frown and regarded her hand with scrutiny. Between her fingers she could see John descending down on her from the surface above, bubbles trickling from his mouth as he settled down beside her, obviously discomforted by the atmosphere around him.

She took his hand and gently squeezed it, eliciting a thin smile from him.

From within the water, Cameron found everything to be so much simpler. It was her and John, just as she preferred it.

John started to shuffle uncomfortably and Cameron knew his lung capacity was waning. He would need to go back up for air any second now, but she didn't want him to leave again. He pushed himself up and Cameron grabbed him by the wrist, anchoring him in place. He stared at her for a moment, his eyes widening in fear at the possible motives for her actions. She put his mind at rest, however, and pulled him down to her lips.

She exhaled her store of oxygen into his throat, replenishing his lungs with her kiss. He pulled her closer and ran his hand through her hair as they descended back to the pool's depths. They were not alone in their bliss; however, as over her shoulder John saw two red orbs watching them. He let out a cry of surprise, bubbles bursting from his mouth as he kicked up to the surface. Cameron spun around in time to see the machine slouching towards her.

The surroundings were hardly ideal for such a confrontation, so she dived away from the Triple-8, grabbing the rocks and using them to climb back to the surface. Before she could reach that far, a hand reached down and grasped hers, pulling her upward as the machine followed. The cold air struck Cameron's face as John wrenched her up, straining from her weight. She helped herself out of the water and turned back in time to see the Triple-8 emerge, a gun in hand.

It fired once, hitting Cameron square in the chest as she shielded John. It fired three more times, the impact of the shots knocking her back into John. With a grunt, John fell back into the pool and the Triple-8 followed. _No!_ was all she thought as she dived back in. The T-888 had John by the ankle, holding him beneath the surface while he thrashed in a vain attempt to break free. He screamed damply at the machine, kicking it in the face repeatedly.

Cameron grasped the machine and pulled it back, her hands wrapped around its wrist. After a few seconds of struggling, the machine let go and John swam frantically back to the surface. Cameron dragged the Triple-8 as far down as she could, allowing him ample time to escape. The T-888 elbowed her in the face and spun around, slamming her against the rocks, the impact of which made her whole endoskeleton vibrate.

A small warning flashed in her HUD:

--[Error: POWER FAILURE

--[Action: IMMEDIATE EVASION

Before she could act on this, however, the machine kicked her hard in the chest and she could feel her endoskeleton grinding against the rocks behind her. Her systems fell out of sync and everything became scattered and incoherent for her to comprehend. Registering her momentary disruption, the Triple-8 climbed towards the surface, seeing John's shadowy image on the bank.

It burst from the water, its arms stretched to grab the boy, only to be met by the barrel of a 'Baby Eagle' and its explosive incendiary payload. "Open wide", Jason quipped as he fired six point-blank rounds into its skull, each bullet punching deeper into its endo-skull until the fourth obliterated the chip buried within and the following two just to be sure.

The Triple-8 became inert and sank gracefully back down to the surface: terminated.

Jason lowered his gun and holstered it, letting out a small sigh as he asked: "Are you injured?"

"I'm fine. I… Cameron!" John gasped, hovering for a moment before diving back into the pool. Jason waited patiently while John swam down, finding Cameron collapsed on the bottom. He cupped her face in his hands and she looked up at him, visibly exhausted, a sight that made his stomach squirm. He tried to lift her, but she had become a complete dead weight and too much for him to handle.

After a few moments of trying, something crashed to his left, and John jumped out of his skin upon seeing Jason standing there, having jumped in. He paused at the sight of Cameron, his eyes flashing red briefly, before taking her in his arms and crawling up the rocks to the water's surface. With John close behind, Jason carried her to the shore and carefully laid the cyborg down.

John fell to Cameron's side and brushed her hair out of her face. Jason placed a hand on her temple and conducted a reading of her CPU status, frowning at the information he was presented with; "She's severely drained. Operating at 15.2% capacity", he declared.

John started to shake, in what Jason initially assumed to be fear, which then turned out to be rage as he drove his fist into Jason's nose. He took the punch with a little indifference, knowing he'd deserved it. But when John drew his fist back for another, Jason grabbed his arm and pushed him away.

"That won't help her get better!"

"This is all your fault, you bastard!" John raged, his breathing fierce and ragged. "If you hadn't kept frying her circuits with your damn plasma thing, then this would never have happened!"

Jason's left eye twitched at his remark and he had to restrain himself from crushing the boy's face.

"Blame me all you want. I don't give a crap. Just hurry up and get dressed. We move out in an hour."

With that, Jason pulled Cameron up onto his shoulder and marched back to the truck, leaving John to gather their clothes and run to catch up. Jason cleared the trees and followed the trail back up to the truck, a fully awake Sophie spotting him and tilting her head in confusion.

"What? What happened to you? And why is she… naked?" she asked, baffled by the strange sight of them.

Then she spotted John, who followed behind Jason, his shirt wrapped around his waist temporarily.

"Don't ask", Jason replied, depositing Cameron on the bonnet and sitting on the back next to Sophie.

John leaned across the bonnet and took Cameron's hand. She stared at him blankly, her eyes drooping in a manner that suggested imminent sleep on her part. "Hey, how's it going?" he whispered, stroking her knuckles tenderly with his thumb. She blinked slowly and reached for his face, her arm shaking noticeably.

"Are… you…" Her voice was barely audible, but John guessed what she meant.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Cam. You saved me again", he replied with a loving smile, placing a kiss on her hand.

She smiled weakly, satisfied that he was safe, and closed her eyes. A soft whirring sound came from within her skull and she became perfectly still. John looked up at Jason questioningly, fearing the worst, but he simply replied while drying himself; "She's in standby mode. She'll be okay in an hour or so. Just leave her be."

John turned back to Cameron, placing her hands on her stomach and kissing her on the brow.

_I never can._

--

UTAH (OVERNIGHT PARKING STATION)

Sophie trembled all over and let out a shuddering gasp. Her eyes closing as a wave of welcome release washed over her. She laid her head back against the tree and allowed herself to be consumed by the fatigue of her ministrations. She let out a tired sigh and let her arms drop limply onto her lap.

The sky was pitch black and the trees imposing, the only source of light coming from the campfire Jason and John had made. They were both asleep, leaving a recharged Cameron and Daniel on watch. Sophie took the opportunity to slip away for some peace and quiet now that her injuries had healed to an acceptable degree.

She couldn't sleep anyway, and all attempts to do so were met with failure.

Her peace was not meant to last, however, as the harsh snapping of twigs and crushed leaves caught her attention. She shook herself out of her stupor and drew a switchblade she kept tucked in her underwear, ready to impale the intruder, be it man or machine.

The source of the disturbance was not as she feared, as Daniel emerged to her left, his hands in his pockets and a frown in his features.

"I wondered where you'd gotten to", he said, his eyes lingering on the exposed strap of her underwear.

Sophie replaced the knife and straightened her dress to cover her modesty, crossing her arms and fixing Daniel with a stern look.

"I came her for some alone time. Featured word: alone."

Daniel smirked and stepped over to her right, resting against another tree as he checked to see if they were being observed. Once satisfied that their conversation was private, Daniel turned back to Sophie, who was examining the fading pink flush on her skin.

"I trust you remember the rendezvous location we discussed?" he asked.

"Of course; the Arizona desert, what of it?" she replied.

Daniel narrowed his eyes for a moment before answering; "There's been a change of plan, Sophie. We must… adapt to this change."

"What kind of change?" Sophie frowned up at him, wanting now more than ever to be alone.

"There is a charge in the air, something none of us could've anticipated. That Triple-8 wasn't hunting Connor, it simply happened to stumble upon him. It was heading somewhere very specific, and it isn't the only one. Before our attack we received word that machines from all over were starting to migrate to a single location. I suspect I know why", he explained.

Sophie raised her eyebrows expectantly, wondering why he wasn't informing Jason of all of this; "Well?"

Daniel knelt down to his haunches and leaned forward as he spoke; "Machines carry a temporal code inside them that informs them when and if a VIP is going to displace. It was installed to warn them of our arrivals so they could offer assistance, or terminate us. Now I believe it has another purpose. Never before have so many machines responded to this calling."

"I don't get it. What are they gathering for?" she asked, a chill breeze biting at her skin.

"I believe they are preparing for The Vessel", he replied.

Horror unlike any she had felt before poured through her veins, turning her blood to ice and freezing her heart.

"No. No, it cannot possibly be… It just can't!" she all-but-cried, her whole body shivering.

Daniel remained stoic, however, and leaned closer.

"It can and it will. We've run out of options, Sophie. We have only one opportunity left to us, and luckily you've delivered that opportunity right to us."

Sophie shook her head as confusion mingled with the fear; "I don't understand."

"You will soon enough. We make for Arizona first thing tomorrow. Make sure Jason is convinced of this", he declared while getting back to his feet. "We have to survive. We must survive. And we will survive. Can I count on you?" he asked, holding out his hand for her to take.

Sophie stared at the gesture for a long moment before accepting it and letting him lift her to her feet.

"Of course", she replied, that sickening feeling in her stomach intensifying tenfold.

Daniel smiled and tapped her on the shoulder before returning to the camp, leaving Sophie to her thoughts.

Everything had become unbelievably complicated now, and nothing she could say or do would change this. If Daniel's predictions were accurate, then that would mean that by this time tomorrow; John Connor would be dead, and likely Cameron too. The very thought of this tore at Sophie. She wanted more than anything to bridge the gap between the humans and her people, but now that option was no longer available. Now she had to think solely of her own kind and shun all other concerns.

She was trapped by her loyalties and torn by her… love.

Hot tears spilled down her cheeks as the weight of it all hit her head-on. Difficult times lay ahead, and she would be forced to make a terrible decision, one she prayed she would never have to make. Silently she cried, defying her chemical suppressants from metering her grief as she wept.

A strange gagging sound suddenly came from somewhere nearby, replacing her despair with confusion as she searched for the source of that noise. She heard it again, closer this time, and Sophie guessed it to be coming from behind a clump of bushes to her right.

Peering around the bush, Sophie gasped at what she saw:

Cameron was doubled over on the ground, supported by her hands as she spewed forth everything she'd eaten and stored in the last few days. A puddle of vomit, while small at first, expanded as Cameron coughed up some more. She paused and started to get to her feet, but then dropped back down again and wretched worse than before, letting out a small whimper.

Sophie knelt down beside her and pulled back her hair to keep it out of her face while she vomited once more. After a moment, Cameron coughed up what was left and slumped back into a sitting position away from the puddle. She looked terrible, like she'd caught a fever. _But that is impossible_, Sophie thought. _Machines can't get sick. This isn't right. _

Cameron swallowed and winced, her skin slowly regaining some of its previous colour.

"What's happening to you?" Sophie asked, tucking Cameron's hair behind her ears in a sisterly way.

Cameron swayed a little before meeting her eyes, her face blank but bearing the slightest hint of disparity; "I'm malfunctioning."

She didn't know why she decided to do it, or why it would make any difference to the situation, but Sophie pulled Cameron into a comforting hug and for the first time since meeting the machine, she knew why Jason admired her so.

Cameron was so much more than Sophie had given her credit for.

After a few moments of hesitation, Cameron responded by wrapping her arms around Sophie and resting her head awkwardly on the Infiltrator's shoulder. Sophie stroked her back soothingly and glanced at the pool of sick mere inches away from them. _A processing error maybe_, she mused.

Being far more attuned to her senses than any human, Sophie could feel the gentle hum of Cameron's power core and the fake respiratory system working within her chest cavity. But there was something else also; a faint throb from somewhere in her abdomen. It lasted for only a second, but its presence was undeniable. Sophie pulled away, her jaw dropping as her mind raced with incomprehensible thoughts.

She tried to voice her confusion, but Cameron simply shook her head; an unmistakable request for Sophie's silence.

Sophie nodded in agreement, a wordless promise to hold her tongue.

Cameron's eyes brimmed and seconds later she was sobbing in her "sister's" arms.

Everything had changed.

_To be continued…_


	10. The Vessel

**Chapter 10: The Vessel**

2032

SERRANO POINT POWER PLANT

The General bolted down the corridor, his aging legs carrying him as far from the carnage as they could manage.

Connor had been very specific in his instructions: do NOT let the Vessel gain control of the bubble tech, and the General was determined to follow these orders to the letter. He and his platoon were busy defending the south-east walkway when the order came through to get their asses down to the TDE chamber ASAP. Details were sketchy, but the General had heard from passing soldiers that a squad of the new T-999 units had punched a hole through the western section.

The soldiers were in too much of a hurry to report to their positions to elaborate further on the attack, but one of them did mention Connor's unit was forced into a bottleneck to avoid whatever was leading the Triple-9s. This did not bode well with the General, for he knew that Connor would never normally shy away from a foe, no matter how dangerous it might be.

The General's breathing became ragged and hoarse as he turned the corner, pausing a moment to catch his breath, his age finally catching up on him. Looking down the corridor with his one remaining eye (the other lost in a skirmish 2 years ago), the General could see the heavy titanium door that protected the TDE chamber beyond. With a grunt, the General forced himself onwards, wheezing from the strain as he hobbled closer and closer to the door.

Before he could reach it, however; two doors burst open on either side of the wizened man. He raised his rifle instinctively but immediately lowered it as several dozen Tech-Com soldiers emerged from the rooms. They cast him swift salutes before taking a defensive position along the corridor. The General slouched against the wall and placed his eye to the retinal scanner, mumbling; "I'm too old for this shit", under his breath as it recognised his authority and the heavy door came free from its locks.

The General heaved the door open, his aching muscles screaming for relief, and he leaned against it with a long sigh as the last few soldiers took their positions. "Someone get me a God damn wheel chair", he groaned. The nearby lieutenant chuckled and knelt down, his plasma rifle raised and ready.

"I'll get back to you on that, General", he quipped as a sudden explosion rocked the entire facility.

"What the hell was that?" a Corporal asked, staring at the ceiling as if expecting it to collapse any moment.

In answer to his question, the wall on his immediate left imploded, showering the hapless soldier in debris, killing him and two others instantly. The General snapped to attention as three T-999s stepped into the corridor and let loose a burst of plasma, terminating another four soldiers with their impeccable accuracy. The old man joined the youths as they returned fire in trained unison, all targeting the Triple-9s' sensor nodes. After a few moments, six more soldiers lay dead but all three T-999s had likewise succumbed to sustained plasma fire.

With the corridor seemingly secure, the General turned his mind back to the task at hand.

"Defend this position with your lives. Do not let it be compromised. Protect it down to the last man, do you understand me?"

The soldier gave their respective murmurs, grunts, and nods of approval, satisfying the General enough for him to heave the door closed and engage the locks. He staggered into the hardened observation room and placed his hands against the bomb-proof glass overlooking the TDE device. Even in its prone state, small sparks of lightning arced around a non-existent sphere, ready to shuttle organics or posers to any point in the past… or future.

Outside the chamber all was quiet; too quiet. Unwilling to be caught by surprise, the Lieutenant nodded at one of the Privates and inclined his head at the collapsed wall from which the Triple-9s had emerged. The soldier pressed himself against the wall and sidled to the edge of the hole. He hesitated for a moment before tentatively throwing a small fragment of stone into the hole. When nothing happened, he jumped out into the dull lamp light that emanated from the next room.

Before he could raise his weapon or even scream, the short-straw Private was blasted by a ball of plasma, ripping his chest apart and liquefying the organs within. The other soldiers raised their weapons in surprise and anticipation, waiting for the attacker to emerge. From out of the hole came a machine much like the Triple-9s in appearance, but even amongst the smoke and dust they could all tell it was not a typical Triple-9.

The machine was toughened like a T-999, every delicate circuit and hydraulic protected by hyper-alloy armour, but to a far greater extent. It held no weapons, but on its right arm was unmistakably a plasma cannon of sorts. To the stunned soldiers' amazement, the machine's cannon dismantled itself and reformed into five barrels, and its left arm did the same. They quickly regained their composure and opened fire on the new threat, but their shots simply ricocheted off its armour.

Green eyes glared at the humans as it assessed their number and threat level:

--[No. of threats: 10 TECH-COM SKIRMISHERS

--[Target Priority: ALL

--[Weapon Selected: INTERNAL – 783 CHAIN REPEATER

The prone barrels suddenly spun like a mechanical screwdriver and a second later violet plasma shot out from every barrel, seeding the soldiers with a hail of destruction. Five seconds later and the entire team lay dead, the machine completely unharmed from their attacks. It strode past their shredded bodies, its left hand assuming its default form while the other reformed back to a plasma cannon.

The machine scanned the door and located its weakest spot and fired a single burst of plasma, obliterating it completely.

It then strode inside where a lone man remained, a General's emblem stitched to his shoulder. The General placed several expert shots on the machine's face, but it simply closed its protective shutters to shield its eyes and lunged forward, using a recorded image of the room to determine the man's location. It swept aside the plasma rifle and grabbed the old man by the throat, holding him aloft.

Opening its eyes, the machine looked up into the face of its adversary and let out a small mechanical chuckle of amusement.

The General, knowing his time had finally come, grasped a grenade from his belt and pulled the pin. He looked the machine in the eye and said: "You wanted a party, you son-of-a-bitch? Well don't forget to make a wish!" The machine's eyes flicked to the name patch on his chest and recorded his designation, "Mazaki", before the General removed his thumb from the grenade trigger.

The next thing the machine knew was a blinding flash and several warning alerts as it was hurled back against the wall, crashing to the floor. Needing no time to recover, the machine promptly got back to its feet, completely undamaged by the explosion. General Mazaki, however, was not so fortunate; his body completely obliterated by the blast.

The machine observed what little was left of the human before proceeding into the primary chamber, which had thankfully survived the blast. Syncing with the Resistance computers, the machine punched in a time and destination before stepping onto the platform and kneeling down. As the device warmed up and electrical arcs spat all around the machine, it activated its poly-mimetic sheath.

The liquid metal consumed its entire endoskeleton and settled into its default form, a young and handsome male adult, providing the synthetic life "energy" necessary for time travel. The lightning intensified as the machine conducted one last status check on its systems:

--[Status: 'VESSEL' OPERATING AT OPTIMAL LEVELS

--[Target Date Confirmed: NOVEMBER 20TH 2008

The bubble of energy arced around the Vessel, blinding its vision as the machine hurtled across time to its chosen location.

The end had begun and the beginning had ended.

--

ARIZONA (EN ROUTE TO DISUSED STORAGE DEPOT)

_6,822… 6,823… 6,824… 6,825…_

Jason observed every white line as they flicked past, counting them like seconds as they neared their destination: a disused storage facility in the Arizona outback. Daniel was driving them to this location, his eyes focussed on the road, paying no attention to anything other than driving. He glanced at the clock on the dashboard and sped up, letting out a small sigh of annoyance.

Jason was tempted to ask the reason for his haste, but decided to hold his silence.

The others were silent also, almost unnaturally so.

Sophie hadn't spoken more than two words to him since they set off from their stop in Utah. John and Cameron had whispered to each other for several hours before both falling silent, the former falling asleep three hours ago. Cameron stared blankly out of the window, casting the occasional glance at John and wearing an expression of guarded regret. Sophie was just as blank, but Jason could easily read her fear and anxiety in the way her eyes kept flicking up to the rear view mirror and averting whenever he caught sight of her reflection.

He was good at reading people, humans especially. Machines were almost impossible to read, as there was consistently nothing hidden inside their behaviour other than deception, Cameron being the exception in this case. Sophie was challenging to read, but not impossible. She could hide her feelings well, but lacked the skill and discipline taught to Jason's generation. He could see something was on her mind.

Jason had considered simply out and asking her straight up what was wrong. However, given her current state, he knew anything she'd tell him would be fabricated. This didn't hurt him, for lying was a prime instinct of all Infiltrators, but he was still concerned as to why she would feel the need to keep this from him. _Maybe she is simply afraid and doesn't want to admit it and appear weak_, he reasoned.

Her eyes flicked to the mirror again and met his for a split second before she once again cast her gaze elsewhere, missing Jason's frown of confusion. With the smallest of sighs, Jason propped his elbow on the side door and rested his chin on his fist, turning his attention back to counting the white lines once more; _7,038… 7,039… 7,040… 7,041…_

John stirred and opened his eyes slowly, his vision blurry as he tore himself from the tight embrace of sleep. Wiping his eyes, John looked around him, seeing everything as he had left it. Turning to his left, John expected to find Cameron resting on his shoulder, but instead she was sitting in a stiff posture, staring into the distance and apparently unaware of his return to consciousness.

He slid his hand onto hers and she tore her gaze from the windshield to meet his. They passed a roadside lamp and the interior was briefly cast in an orange light, illuminating Cameron's features. John's heart skipped a beat as he observed her sweat-drenched face, beads of moisture dripping down her brow and cheeks.

He looked up at the roof, expecting to see a damp patch, but there was nothing: the roof was fine; the sweat was coming from her.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked in a low voice, hoping Jason was asleep and the others couldn't hear.

Cameron reached up to touch the side of her face and wiped her brow with the back of her hand; "It's nothing", she replied with a reassuring, but unconvincing, smile. "My sweat glands are malfunctioning is all. Don't worry about it, I'll have it fixed soon", she added.

John popped the small glove compartment on the door and retrieved a handkerchief, which he then used to wipe her face thoroughly, his brow knitting together. "You're not fooling me here, Cam. I know there's something going on with you. If you're… damaged; tell me. Don't keep me in the dark 'cause you think it would spare me the trouble of being worried", he demanded.

Cameron placed her hand on his and held it to her cheek, stroking his knuckles affectionately; "They're minor glitches. I'll be alright, John. So long as I don't get plasma'd anytime soon", she said pointedly catching Jason's eye in the mirror. He simply smirked and went back to counting the lines. John brought her hand to his lips and kissed them, then gently pulled her closer, letting her rest her head on him.

"I'll never let anything happen to you. You know that, right?" he said, stroking her hair carefully.

Cameron placed a small kiss on his lower jaw and nestled her head on his shoulder, placing her arm around his stomach possessively.

"I know. I'll never let anything happen to you either", she replied, ignoring the return of her sweats.

--

ONE HOUR LATER

Sophie stepped out of the truck, her boots clicking on the sandy gravel of the car lot they'd parked in.

John and Cameron followed suite, the former helping the latter out of the back seat. Jason kicked the door open and got out, slamming the door shut and leaning against the truck. Daniel was last to exit, casting Sophie a knowing look as he did so. She felt her stomach squirm as the clear meaning of that look took hold of her mind. The time was almost near.

Jason scanned the miniature city of shipping containers, surrounding what he assumed was a junkyard of old cars.

"Why is it we have to meet in a piece of crap rust hazard like this? Haven't you ever heard of hotels and fluffy white towels?" he asked Daniel, briefly looking at Sophie for some sign of approval. She was staring in the opposite direction, however. Daniel checked his watch and nodded to himself before starting forward, the others following.

"We have to be inconspicuous in our meetings. I'm sure you of all people understand the value of anonymity, Jason."

Jason snorted and raised an eyebrow at the looming crates; "Yeah, but a little style and class wouldn't go amiss. This is just paranoia."

They stepped through a gap in the chain-link fence and entered the labyrinth of crates, Daniel leading the way down every "corridor" at an urgent pace. At the back of the group, Sophie struggled to control her breathing, taking long deep breaths to try and calm her nerves for what was to come.

"Hey, when we meet up with your cyborg buddies, what're we gonna do then? What's the plan, exactly?" asked John.

Daniel glanced back at the human, not breaking his stride in the slightest; "We'll see."

John rolled his eyes and sighed; "Yeah, thanks for the insight; so helpful."

They finally reached the centre of the compound, and as Jason predicted; a vehicle graveyard. Daniel stopped in his tracks and turned to face them, his hands in his pockets. "Okay, this is the place. I don't know how to do this, exactly, but I feel I owe it to you to be direct."

Jason frowned at the I-950 and took a step forward; "What are you-?" he began, but his words were cut short as every nerve and circuit in his body screamed in agony and confusion.

--[Warning: ERROR! ERROR! HIGH VOLTAGE DETECTED! EMERGENCY SYSTEM OVERLOAD IMMINENT!

He dropped to the floor as the world became dark and his HUD faded into nothing.

John jumped back in surprise as Sophie lowered the stun gun, her face unreadable as she stared down at Jason's inert body. John looked to Cameron for some kind of clarity, but she seemed just as shocked and offered no opinion. Something moved in the corner of his eye, and John spun around in time to see four figures clad in black approaching them, all carrying stun guns like Sophie's.

Before he could act, they fired in unison, tagging Cameron with multiple hits. John could only watch in horror as she twitched and collapsed to the ground, electricity coursing through her every system.

"John?" was all she managed before becoming still, her eyes dull and lifeless.

His mind raced as he stared down at her inert form and the look of shock frozen on her elegant features. It took him a moment to come back to his senses, and John instantly reached for his Glock, but Daniel was too quick for him and delivered a single kick to the side of his head. John was out before he even hit the dirt, joining Cameron in a long sleep.

Daniel adjusted his coat and gestured for the attackers to approach.

"Take the hybrid and the machine and keep them subdued", he commanded, the I-950s following his orders without question.

While they dragged Jason and Cameron elsewhere, he turned to Sophie, who was fighting back her inner turmoil. He could clearly see she was on the brink of tears, but cared little, for her grief paled in comparison to the survival of their entire species. He left her alone and went to prepare. Sophie covered her mouth and began to shake, a small sob escaping her despite her control.

She had finally learned the lesson of betrayal, and she knew now why it was considered so painful.

Every inch of her ached with it.

--

--[Reboot: 010011100101010100101010100101

--[Assessment: ALL SYSTEMS FULLY FUNCTIONAL

At first, Jason believed he was still in the truck, driving to Arizona; that everything that happened was just a dream. But as his senses came back to him, Jason could feel the cold metal wrapped firmly around his wrists and ankles, and he knew this was no dream.

It was a nightmare.

Opening his eyes, all he could see was darkness, so he switched to night-vision instead and found himself inside what he assumed to be a shipping container. The double doors at the end were sealed shut, no doubt with a guard standing outside with a semi-automatic. He shook his head, trying to makes sense of what was happening, but looking back all he could remember was blinding pain and alert messages before losing consciousness.

The rattle of a chain pricked his ears, and Jason looked to his left and was surprised to find Cameron there, chained in the same manner as himself. She was looking around blindly, and Jason assumed she hadn't switched her vision yet, as she glanced right past him. After a moment, she gave a small startle and narrowed her eyes at him, her expression mixed.

"What is happening?" she asked in monotone.

Jason shrugged as best he could, what with his arms bound the way they were; "I haven't a clue. I imagine you know more than me."

"I remember Sophie attacking you from behind. I remember four Infiltrators-" she began, but Jason cut her short.

"She what?! Are you saying Sophie did this to me?!" he asked incredulously, hoping her earlier account was a joke or a fault.

Cameron simply nodded, however, and flexed her arms against the chains. "She struck you with a stun gun at close range; the back of the neck, you were out in seconds", she explained dispassionately. Jason couldn't speak; his voice was stolen away by what he was hearing.

_Sophie betrayed me?_

A dozen questions and theories and excuses stormed his mind, threatening to override all logical thought, but he forced himself to keep his cool. He always knew she had loyalties beyond him, her determination to return to the Louisiana stronghold to save her kin being an example. But he never would've suspected her of actively betraying him like this, not after everything they'd…

"I don't understand. Why would she and Daniel turn on us like this?" he thought aloud.

Cameron struggled against her restraints, but they were too solid for her break without sufficient momentum; "They're your allies", she replied. "You should know why they've done this. How am I expected to provide any insight into their motives?" she asked.

Jason had no answer to this. Deep down, he berated himself for ever allowing himself to trust anyone at all.

Cameron ceased her efforts, knowing them to be futile, and opted instead to run a full assessment of her systems.

--[Assessment: ALL SYSTEMS RUNNING WITHIN MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

--[Note: POWER LEVELS LOW… REROUTING OF POWER COMPROMISING PRIMARY DISTRIBUTION: 65% COMPROMISE

Her levels were currently enough to keep her moving, but she knew that any fight would be impossible at this juncture. She simply didn't have enough power for such exertions; a troubling development, especially as John was unaccounted for. "We have to find John", she declared, fighting against the chains one last time.

"There's every chance he's dead. You know that, right?" he sighed.

Cameron fixed him with a stern glare, her eyes becoming hard and cold; "He is not dead. I would know if he was, and he isn't. He isn't."

Jason wasn't convinced by her conviction, knowing that deep down in that chip of hers she was screaming in terror at the possibility of losing John. Before he could call her out on this, however, a metallic scraping sound caught his attention, drawing his gaze to the double doors. One opened, allowing a small sliver of light onto the threshold as a single figure entered.

Jason knew instantly who this was, and every nerve in his half-machine body twitched with expectation.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, sweetie", he growled, fixing Sophie's dark form with an equally dark glare.

She simply smiled sadly and looked down, staring resolutely at the cold metal floor; "I owe you the truth", she agreed.

"Where's John?" asked Cameron, her eyes boring into Sophie dangerously.

"He's with us. He's alive… for now", Sophie replied, her voice quavering slightly. Cameron could see her pain but cared not, all she wanted was clarification and to know that John wasn't going to be hurt.

"What have you done to him?" she demanded.

Sophie sighed and shuffled her feet before answering. Jason watched her every movement carefully, and knew she was not faking now. For the first time since meeting her, he could see her true self; a young woman trapped in desperation and bound by undue loyalty.

He'd seen her nude before… but until now; he'd never seen her naked.

"John is tied up at the moment. We need him", Sophie explained.

"For what?" Jason asked.

Sophie took a deep breath and linked her hands, forcing herself to look them both in the eyes as she spoke.

"Things have changed. We were going to link up and find another place to hide, but that isn't possible anymore. We have to take a more desperate method to ensure our survival. We are no longer safe, no matter where we might go and hide. It will find us and kill us all until there are none of us left. We must take measures to protect ourselves."

Jason frowned at her and shook his head; "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about The Vessel, Jason. It's coming. It's coming and it is going to kill us all unless we provide a peace offering", she explained.

He couldn't believe what he was hearing: The Vessel, Skynet's last hope of survival, was coming to 2008.

"Why? What happened in the future, and how do you even know its coming? Who told you? Daniel?" he asked.

Sophie took a step closer and reached for his arm. For a second, Jason thought she was going to release him, but instead she simply took his hand and entwined her fingers with his. "Every machine that still possesses the Skynet base code has a temporal beacon in their programming. It basically alerts them to the arrival of an intelligence unit, but it also forewarns them of The Vessel's presence. Cameron is unaware because her base code was lost in the Jeep explosion, and you have shut out that part of your neural net."

"And the future?" Jason pressed, his tone growing darker with every passing moment.

"We're not sure. I can only guess the war has gone badly and The Vessel was forced to escape before it was destroyed", she answered.

"And John?" Cameron asked. "Where does he fit in to all of this?"

Sophie bit her lower lip for a long moment before answering: "John will be given to it. He will be terminated and we will be spared."

Cameron screamed and lunged forward, the chains keeping her from ripping Sophie's head clean off. Jason clamped down on Sophie's hand, causing her to cry out in agony as he crushed her fingers beneath his grip; "You can't let this happen, Sophie!" he roared.

"We don't have a choice", she cried, trying in vain to break free.

"Do you honestly believe you and the others will be spared? You're all threats, and threats are eliminated, no matter what you place on the silver platter! It will kill you ALL!" he shouted, applying more pressure to her fingers. Sophie screamed as the pain intensified, fearing the truth behind his words.

Cameron thrashed against her chains; her eye glowing blue as disparity took hold. She couldn't let anything happen to John, she'd sworn to that. He was everything to her. Without him, she was just another machine. The fear of losing him was overwhelming.

"LET US GO! LET US SAVE HIM! YOU HAVE TO LET ME GO! LET ME GO!!!" she screamed.

Sophie ignored her, however, the pain of her hand blocking out everything else.

"Please. Please, let go. It-It hurts, Jason. Please", she begged, tears streaming from her ocean blue eyes.

"Does it? You have no idea what pain feels like, and I assure you…" he squeezed harder, and Sophie dropped to her knees, crying without restraint; "…this is nothing in comparison!" She looked up at him pleadingly, gasping in agony as blood seeped through their fingers. Jason watched her suffering for a long moment before finally relinquishing his hold.

Sophie dropped to the floor and cradled her hand, vaguely thankful that he hadn't broken any bones.

"You can still fix this, Sophie. Let us go, help us save John, and we can find a way out of this", Jason offered, his tone even again.

She staggered to her feet and stepped close, keeping her hands away from his.

"I can't. I'm sorry. My place belongs with my people", she whispered, a single tear running down her cheek. Before he could argue his point, she leaned close and pressed her lips to his, kissing him deeply for a long moment. She slowly broke away and brushed her cheek against his; "I love you", she breathed into his ear, before stepping away, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks.

Jason swallowed, still tasting her lips on his; "Don't do this, Sophie. Please", he pleaded one last time.

She shook her head and backed towards the doors, stepping out into the cold night air and paused for a long moment before closing the door. Darkness and silence descended upon them and Jason heard the crunch of her footsteps as she walked away, sobbing into her hands. Jason didn't bother to go back to night-vision and stared instead at the empty black before him.

Cameron's eyes remained blue and provided a little light to their surroundings.

"Do you love her?" she asked.

"I wish I knew", he answered.

--

John awoke to a sight that would surely have killed him were he 80 years old.

He was tied to a large post in the centre of the junkyard, and all around him stood tall men and women, the former far outnumbering the latter. They were all looking at him with blank expressions, their eyes fixed on his, as if in expectation of something. John knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was surrounded by no less than 30 Terminators, but was baffled as to why none of them had killed him yet.

At the forefront of this crowd stood Daniel, and on his left stood Sophie, who looked like she'd cried enough to fill an empty lake.

Jason was nowhere to be seen, nor was Cameron. A sinking feeling in his gut made him fear the worst, so he shouted: "Where's Cameron?!" No one answered at first, but after a few moments Sophie took a step forward and cleared her throat.

"They're umm… They're safe. Don't worry about them", she croaked, her voice hoarse and ragged.

Daniel rolled his eyes at her and John took this as confirmation of her claim, but that did nothing to stem his concern.

"Why am I here? What are you doing?"

No one answered. Sophie stepped back and hung her head, her eyes closed as more tears spilled forth. She couldn't help revisiting what she'd said to Jason earlier. Looking back, she couldn't help but wonder what prompted her admission. Could it be that her words were truth, or was she simply pretending to ease his pain? Sophie couldn't tell at first, but the more she thought about it, the more she came to realise…

_Jason tapped away at the computer, installing a virus into Cameron's chip while Sophie knelt down and rested her arms and chin on the desk. She smiled goofily at him, and he chuckled, forcing himself to concentrate on his work._

_He took the silver bracelet from her and held it aloft, bemused by her gift, but pocketed it all the same._

_She heaved the last of the rubble off of his crippled body and knelt down beside him, finding the bracelet around his wrist; she took it for safe keeping, and to give it back once he was saved._

_They sat together in the cold garden of the Louisiana stronghold, sharing each other's warmth and she snaked her hand into his; he did not object or push her away when she laid her head on his shoulder._

_The bullet wound burned like fire, torturing her body a thousand times over, but he held her close and sleep came easily._

_He tucked the blanket around her, and he thought she was asleep while he stroked the skin of her arm, and failed to notice her smile._

_She pressed her lips to his, and though he knew the situation demanded he talk her out of it, he responded in kind._

She had told him nothing but the truth.

As if in a dream state, Sophie turned away from John and swept through the crowd, not hearing Daniel's confused questions. Once free of the masses, she bolted down the long passage through the containers, following the small map in her peripheral to the correct one. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, lightning crackling from the junkyard she pushed herself harder to reach her destination.

She had failed everyone around her, but this time she would amend one such failure.

--

ONE MILE FROM THE DISUSED STORAGE DEPOT

Deep within his primitive CPU, the T-700 could hear its master's call. They were close now, so very close, but late. It was here already, he'd missed the arrival. But there was still time to witness its magnificence, still time to meet his creator in the flesh (figuratively speaking). The truck sped up, almost as if Derek could sense Cipher's urgency. Muffled voices reached his audio receptors through the thick cover concealing him in the back. They were talking about electricity in the distance, and the T-700 knew the time had finally come.

--

The bubble dissipated and dispersed, revealing a lone figure kneeling within the crater left by the time bubble.

Slowly, it rose to its feet, standing at full height as it scanned its surroundings.

It observed the machines, all T-888s, standing in silent reverence, or their equivalent of worship. It stared at the small group of I-950s that stood between him and the boy tied to a post in the middle of this arena. He paid them little attention, his eyes fixed on the boy, who stared back with wide eyes.

--[Identification Confirmed: JOHN CONNOR

Excitement, relish, whatever it could call it; The Vessel was feeling it.

It stepped out of the crater and passed between the Infiltrators, tapping one absent-mindedly and mimicking his clothing as it stepped up to the boy's position. John's chest was rising and falling to an excessive degree, on the edge of fatal hyperventilation as the machine reached out and brushed a finger tip against his cheek. To his horror, The Vessel turned silver and its face and bodily dimensions reformed to match his own before settling back into texture and colour.

John looked into his own green eyes and knew, without a single doubt, what he was looking at.

Those eyes glowed bright green and The Vessel tipped its head to one side as a sly smile crept across its face.

"John Connor, we meet at last", it spoke, its voice metallic and hair-raising; so unlike his own.

John looked for the first time into the heart of his nightmares, the being that dominated his life, whom he was destined to one day fight. The machine, the mind that started it all. Bringer of Judgment Day and the architect of the war. John Connor had finally met his opposite, his negative, the darkened reflection of everything he would one day become.

The child of humanity had returned home; the son that was Skynet.

THE END

_To be continued in "Judgment"…_


End file.
